Mumbai: Thackeray faction files caveat in ECI with plea not to pass any order on bow and arrow symbol without hearing its side

After a rebellion by 40 MLAs and its claim as the original party, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has become alert and filed a caveat in the Election Commission of India with a plea not to give any ruling on the party's poll symbol bow and arrow before hearing its side. In a caveat the Thackeray faction has said,’’ A caveat has been filed to avoid any ex-party ruling from the Election Commission of India on the bow and arrow symbol. A plea has been made to give the party a hearing and only after that give its ruling.’’

Thackeray faction’s move came days after the Shinde Camp had appointed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader and Bharat Gogawale as the chief whip replacing Ajay Chaudhari and Sunil Prabhu. Thereafter, the Shinde Camp has also announced that they are the original Shiv Sena and therefore have a natural claim over the bow and arrow.

This move is a part of an ongoing legal and legislative battle which will be long drawn as both have declared to pursue it to the logical end.

Last week Thackeray had roared that nobody can take away Shiv Sena’s bow and arrow symbol. ‘’According to law, no one can take away the bow and arrow symbol from Shiv Sena. I am saying this after talking to constitutional experts," he clarified.

His statement came as rebel Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil on Wednesday said the faction led by Shinde was the real claimant of the party’s poll symbol.

Earlier, the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in its national executive meeting held in Mumbai passed resolutions affirming Uddhav Thackeray as party president and restricting any group or individual from using the name of Balasaheb Thackeray to pre-empt any such move by the Eknath Shinde faction.