The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Monday filed a caveat before the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking it to be made a party in the event of the Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde filing a petition before the ECI over the party symbol “Bow and Arrow”.
On a day when the Supreme Court asked Maharashtra Assembly’s new Speaker Rahul Narwekar not to decide on the disqualification notices issued to the MLAs belonging to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the parent Shiv Sena submitted a plea before the ECI that it be made a party and be heard if the Shinde faction staked claim over the party symbol.
Confirming the development, senior leader from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Anil Desai told “The Pioneer”: “Yes. We have filed a caveat before the ECI that it should hear us before deciding on a petition – if any – filed by the Eknath Shinde camp seeking the Sena’s registered symbol of "bow and arrow".
It may be recalled that on Friday last, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had gone to town, saying that no one could take away the Sena's registered "bow and arrow" symbol from the party and the question of him thinking about the symbol did not arise.
Amid ongoing efforts by the Sena faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde to move the Election Commission to claim the party’s `bow and arrow’ symbol, Uddhav had told media persons here: “No can take away `bow and arrow’ symbol from the Shiv Sena.. I am saying this after holding consultations with law and constitutional experts.. Hence , the question of the Sena looking for a new symbol does not arise”.
Rubbishing the claims in certain political circles that the original Sena led by him was as good as “finished” after the recent rebellion triggered by Shinde, Uddhav had said: “Supposing we had only one MLA, he leaves the party. Does it mean that the party is finished? Even if 100 to 150 MLAs leave the party, the party is not finished. The party will function as before”.
“An effort is being made by our rivals to create a misconception among the people that the parent Sena is as good as over. The Legislature party is different from the registered party. Hence on the basis of the legislature party’s strength, no one can snatch away our party symbol from us,” the Sena president said.
It may be recalled that senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde had staged a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray on June 20, walked away with 30-odd Sena MLA from Mumbai and landed at a Surat Hotel, from where he flew them to Guwahati. In Guwahati more Sena MLAs joined the rebel MLAs at another five star hotel. The rebel group's strength swelled to 39 when they flew from Guwahati to Goa en route to Mumbai. Later on, the strength of his group swelled to 40 out of total 55 Sena MLAs in the State Assembly.
On June 28, Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation as the chief minister. Two days later, Eknath Shinde – together with Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP formed a government in the state. Shinde and Fadnavis and Fadnavis were sworn in as the chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on June 30. Later on July 4, Shinde proved his majority on the floor of the State Assembly.