Shiv Sena Factions Get New Names: Thackeray’s New Symbol a ‘Flaming Torch'

Uddhav Thackeray (left) and Eknath Shinde at two separate Shiv Sena Dussehra rallies in Mumbai, 5 October 2022.

(Photo: Twitter/Shiv Sena, Eknath Shind )

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday, 10 October, took a decision over the two Shiv Sena factions and announced that the Uddhav Thackeray faction will now be known as 'Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray', with its new party symbol as the 'flaming torch', while the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be called 'Balasahebachi Shiv Sena' (Balasaheb's Shiv Sena).

The ECI had earlier frozen the Shiv Sena's bow and arrow symbol and temporarily forbade both Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions to use the party name for the upcoming bypolls in Andheri East.

What options had the two factions given? What is their new symbol? Here are the latest developments.

WHAT OPTIONS HAD THE TWO FACTIONS GIVEN?

The Uddhav Thackeray faction had given the choices:

• Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray

• Shiv Sena Prabodhankar Thackeray

• Shiv Sena Uddhav balasaheb Thackeray

The Eknath Shinde faction had given the choices:

• Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray

• Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena

• Shiv Sena Balasahebanchi

The EC refused to allot Shiv Sena (Balasaheb Thackeray) name to Uddhav group stating that it is also the first preference of the Eknath Shinde group. Hence, the ECI accepted the second proposal “Shiv Sena(Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).”

WHAT ABOUT THE NEW SYMBOL?

Taking a stand against religious symbols, the EC declined to allot 'Trishul', 'Rising Sun' and 'Gada' as symbols as they were "not in the list of free symbols."

The EC declared 'Flaming Torch' as the symbol of candidates of Thackeray faction in the current by-election and till the final order is passed in the current dispute.

The Shinde faction on the other hand was asked to furnish a list of three new symbols by 11 October.

THACKERAY MOVES DELHI HIGH COURT

Uddhav Thackeray had earlier approached the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking a stay on the order passed by the ECI freezing the 'Shiv Sena' party name and the bow and arrow symbol.

Thackeray’s alternate prayer was to ask for the symbol chosen by them for the upcoming by-polls rather than restricting it to three choices that the ECI has given.

The Eknath Shinde faction has also filed a caveat in the High Court.

Both the factions have laid claim to the party name and symbol but the poll body had on Saturday restrained both camps from using the 'Shiv Sena' party name and the symbol. 

The ECI had asked the factions to choose new names and symbols for the 3 November byelection in Mumbai's Andheri East constituency. 

The divison between Balasaheb's Shiv Sena began in June when Eknath Shinde led 48 MLAs in a Bharatiya Janata Party-backed coup against the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, bringing down his coalition government.