EC Allocates New Names to Both the Factions of Shiv Sena
The Election Commission has allocated new party names along with party symbols to both the factions of Shiv Sena after freezing their old symbol & name.
Just a couple of months back, the Shiv Sena got split into two factions after a huge political crisis which went on for several days in Maharashtra. The two camps included a side led by the current CM Eknath Shinde and his MLA’s. Meanwhile the other faction was led by the former CM Uddhav Thackeray. The crisis started when Shinde rebelled against Thackeray's leadership, claiming the support of 40 of the Shiv Sena's 55 MLAs and 12 of its 18 members in the Lok Sabha. Following Thackeray's resignation as chief minister of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition, Shinde became the chief minister with the support of the BJP.
However, until now, both of these sides were recognised by a single party name & symbol that is “Shiv Sena”. But lately the Election Commission on 8th October 2022 finally decided to freeze the party symbol of Shiv Sena and suggested both the factions led by Eknath Shinde & Uddhav Thackeray respectively to come up with three different names along with as many party symbols as possible. As suggested by the election commission, both the factions came up with three different choices of names along with several choices for the party symbol. Uddhav Thackeray submitted Trishul, Rising sun and flaming torch (mashaal) While Shinde group submitted Sword (Talwar), blowhorn (tutari) and blunt mace (gada). This was done in view of the upcoming by-election in Mumbai’s Andheri East.
Finally, the Election Commission of India on 10th October allotted a new election symbol to the Uddhav Thackeray camp. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction was allocated with the party symbol of a ‘flaming torch’, disallowing any symbols with religious overtones in its order. Taking to its official Twitter handle, which still goes by the name of 'Shiv Sena', Uddhav Thackeray's faction shared a poster featuring its new symbol, a flaming torch (mashaal), and a new party name - Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). The Shinde led faction was given the name Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, however; the EC rejected all the choices of symbols given by Eknath Shinde camp and has asked them to send new choices by tomorrow.
