Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 10: The Uddhav Thackeray faction on Monday submitted a petition in the Delhi Court challenging the Election Commission’s decision to freeze the name of the Shiv Sena party and its election symbol of “bow and arrow” and sought the court’s directive quashing the ECI order.
The ECI had issued the order on Saturday asking both the factions, one led by Thackeray and the other led by the incumbent Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, to suggest new name of their factions and election symbol for the November 3 by-elections to the Andheri East state Assembly seat. The freezing would remain in place till the ECI decided on which of the faction to be adjudged the “real” Shiv Sena.
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister approached the Delhi High Court against the Saturday order, alleging that the party’s name and symbol was frozen without a hearing, which “goes against the principal of natural justice.” The petition has arrayed ECI and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde as parties.
Both the factions have formally submitted to the EC their choice of three symbols and names. Even while calling the Shinde faction “a 40-headed Ravana,” Uddhav Thackeray’s faction on Sunday submitted three symbols (a trident, a burning torch, and rising sun) to the EC as possible symbols for the party and three names (Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena Balasaheb Prabodhankar Thackeray, and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
The Shinde faction has also submitted its options – Balasaheb Thackeray, Balasahebanchi Shivsena and Shivsena Balasahebanchi. The symbols it has submitted are the mallet and two others that are also on the rival list – the trident and the rising sun.
The Thackeray faction is contesting the bypolls having given the party ticket to the widow of its sitting MLA whose death had caused the by-election. But the Shinde faction is not contesting the byelection and is supporting the BJP candidate for the seat. As October 14 is the last date of filing nominations, the EC decision on the alternative symbols and names of the two factions could be expected soon.
The Sena versus Sena saga started in June when Eknath Shinde led 40 MLAs in a BJP-backed coup against his boss Uddhav Thackeray, bringing down his coalition government. Mr Shinde then formed a new government with the BJP.
Since then, both factions have laid claim to the party’s name. Mr Shinde, who has the support of a majority of party MLAs and MPs, told the Election Commission he has a stronger claim to the party founded by Uddhav Thackeray’s father Bal Thackeray.
The election body asked the rivals to submit documentary proof by August 8 to back their claims. The deadline was extended to October 7 on the request of the Thackeray faction. On October 4, team Shinde requested the party’s bow and arrow poll symbol for the assembly by-election.
The Shiv Sena got the bow and arrow symbol in 1989. Before this they had contested elections on different symbols like sword and shield, coconut tree, railway engine, and cup and plate. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, team Thackeray targeted the Election Commission for what it called “injustice” and accused it of “spreading darkness” in Maharashtra..
“This (decision) is the sin of Delhi. Dishonest persons carried out this dishonesty. But we would like to assure we will stand strong despite innumerable catastrophes. The EC took a cruel decision to finish off the Shiv Sena founded by Bal Thackeray because of the objections raised by traitors led by (Maharashtra Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde,” the editorial said.
In a virtual address to the Sena cadre and people of Maharashtra, Uddhav had called the Shinde faction a 40-headed Ravana who took away Lord Rama’s “bow and arrow” which was also dear to late Sena founder Bal Thackeray.
Uddhav said even though people of Maharashtra tolerated the “betrayal” and his stepping down from the CM’s post after the rebellion by Shinde, freezing of the party’s name and symbol was “too much.” “You (Shinde) wanted to become CM, that was also okay in a way but now you want to be the chief of Shiv Sena? It is too much now…”, Uddhav said.
He further said that though Shinde faction would be happy today, the BJP would be happier. “More than them (Shinde group), the “superpower” (BJP) who are behind them would be happy,” he said.
Stating that the BJP would ultimately “use and throw” the Shinde faction, Uddhav said, “Shinde faction is not realising that just like a bottle of juice, the BJP will use and throw them in the dustbin when their utility is over. In fact, it is over now; whatever chaos they wanted to create, they have done. The party symbol is already frozen and the name is frozen too.”
“After what happened yesterday, many called me and cried…. I told them to calm down and (assured them) that nothing had happened. Crisis also comes with opportunities and one should look for them. I am not shaken or afraid, neither should you. Keep faith and confidence. We have to fight back and win,” Uddhav said while asking his cadre to be alert.
He, however, stated that he was not expecting Saturday’s order from EC when the issue of disqualification of 16 rebel MLAs was already pending at the top court.