In the midst of a dispute between competing groups about which is the “real” Sena, Uddhav Thackeray today challenged the Election Commission’s freeze on the Shiv Sena symbol and name.
The former chief minister of Maharashtra filed a petition with the Delhi High Court challenging the Saturday order, claiming that freezing the party’s name and symbol without a hearing “runs against norms of natural justice.”
For the November 3 by-election in Mumbai’s Andheri East, the election authority had requested that team Thackeray and the opposing Eknath Shinde side select new names and emblems.
Eknath Shinde led 48 MLAs in a BJP-backed revolt against his boss Uddhav Thackeray in June, toppling his coalition government and beginning the Sena versus Sena story. Later, Mr. Shinde and the BJP put together a new government.
Since then, the party’s name has been contested by both groups. According to Mr. Shinde, who has the backing of the majority of the party’s MLAs and MPs, he has a greater claim to the party that Bal Thackeray, the father of Uddhav Thackeray, founded.
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The election body requested that the competitors provide supporting documentation for their claims by August 8th. The Thackeray faction requested that the deadline be extended to October 7. Team Shinde asked for the party’s bow and arrow election symbol for the assembly by-election on October 4.
The Shiv Sena side led by Uddhav Thackeray has provided a list of three names and emblems.
According to sources in the Election Commission, “Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray” is the preferred name, followed by “Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray” and “Shiv Sena Balasaheb Prabodhankar Thackeray.”
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