Aurangabad, Oct 11:
The Shiv Sena today celebrated the occasion of getting a new symbol for the 'Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray' party by beating drums and bursting firecrackers today morning at Kranti Chowk.
The activists and office-bearers lit up the 'torch' (Mashal) symbol and shouted slogans in praise of Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and party chief Uddhav Thackeray. It may be noted that the Election Commission (EC), after the split in the saffron party, initiated an interim action and refrained Shiv Sena from using Bow and Arrow (Dhanushyabaan) as the party symbol till its final decision.
The commission, on Monday, gave a new name to Uddhav Thackeray's party as Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. Although the 'torch' (Mashal) symbol is for a tentative period, then also Shiv Sena members celebrated the occasion.
The office-bearers lighted the torch and paid tributes to Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Kranti Chowk. They also circumambulated (Pradakshana) around the statue with zeal and enthusiasm. They beat drums and burst fire-crackers to express their joy. Former mayor Nandkumar Ghodele, city organisers Balasaheb Thorat and Balasaheb Gaikwad, deputy city chief Rajendra Danve, Gopal Kulkarni, Santosh Khendake, Satish Katkate, Mahila Aghadi's Pratibha Jagtap, Meera Deshpande and many other activists and office-bearers were present on the occasion.