The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Saturday made a strong argument at the Election Commission that the Eknath Shinde led camp has not yet staked claim on the post of party chief (Paksha Pramukhs) and therefore it cannot make a claim on poll symbol cannot be made without the approval of the party chief (Paksha Pramukh). Further, the Thackeray faction submitted that the Shinde camp has also not yet challenged Uddhav Thackeray’s post of the party chief (Paksha Pramukh). Besides, Shinde himself has appointed himself as Chief Leader (Mukhya Neta) and such post does not exist in the Shiv Sena, said the Thackeray faction in its submission. Thackeray faction today filed over an 800 page submission at the EC.
EC deliberated for over four hours on claims and counterclaims and submissions by Thackeray faction and Shinde camp.
Further, the Thackeray faction questioned why Shinde camp is pressing for a bow and arrow symbol especially when it is not going to field its nominee in the upcoming Andheri East assembly by-election. Instead, the Thackeray faction has said that it will field its nominee and therefore the Election Commission needs to maintain a status quo on a poll symbol. ‘’There is no Shinde camp candidate in the Andheri by-election, so why are they asking for a symbol? Eknath Shinde has not yet claimed the post of Uddhav Thackeray's party chief and therefore the claim regarding the symbol cannot be made without the permission of the party chief,’’ said Thackeray faction in its submission.
It added, ‘’There is no urgency to take a decision regarding the symbol as the Shinde camp is not fielding a candidate in this by-election.’’
Thackeray faction said they have already compiled over 10 lakh affidavits but it will have to be prepared in the prescribed format and for that it has urged the EC to give four weeks.
‘’Over 10 lakh affidavits are ready. Affidavits of two and a half lakh office bearers and also of primary members are ready. We should get four weeks time to submit it in the prescribed format,’’ said the Thackeray faction.
Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said that the Rajya Sabha member Anil Desai has filed all affidavits at the EC. ‘’Shiv Sena belongs to Shivsainiks. Shiv Sena is a registered party and the selection of party office bearers is made by the Paksha Pramukh (Party chief).
‘’We recently had a national executive and in that meeting Uddhav Thackeray was elected as the party chief till 2023. So who is this? (Referring to Eknath Shinde). How can someone who has left the house can stake a claim on that house?’’he asked.
‘’Schedule 10 written by Babasaheb Ambedkar in the constitution is being deliberately tried to be overlooked. The anti defection law provisions are being considered. People are seeing how institutions are being used. EC had not given even 24 hours for the party to make its submission,’’ said Sawant.
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