The Election Commission on Saturday decided that the two factions of the Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, would not be allowed to use the party name and symbol for the ongoing Andheri East by-poll and till the EC passes a final order on the dispute between them. At the at Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year' Awards, Eknath Shinde has made a strong claim that the symbol of bow and arrow will be given to his party only. Speaking on the issue, Shinde said, "We don't need to tell anyone about the election symbol. We will get it on the basis of merit. The Election Commission could not take a decision because of the Andheri by-election. But we will get the bow in the future. This is because 40 out of 55 MLAs are with us and their vote count is 39 lakh. Also, 12 out of 18 MPs are with us and their vote count is 69 lakhs, which means that we have more than 70 percent of the total votes cast for the party.
Continuing further he said, "We believe that we will get the bow and arrow on the basis of merit. I have been seeing since yesterday that we have been treated unfairly. We are being held responsible for the decision to freeze the bow and arrow. But actually the same people are responsible for this decision. Because the Election Commission has repeatedly given the opportunity. The document has been asked for. But they were delaying. They asked for extension of time four times. I came to know only yesterday that the affidavit given was found to be bogus. The Election Commission has allotted ‘two swords and a shield’ poll symbol to the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena. Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, had given the Election Commission a fresh list of poll symbols – peepal tree, sword and sun – on Tuesday. The Shinde-led faction had listed the trishul, rising sun and gada (mace) as poll symbol choices, two of which were not allotted owing to religious connotations.The Election Commission allotted the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and flaming torch symbol to the Shiv Sena faction led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray. A day after the Election Commission (EC) of India froze Shiv Sena’s name and bow and arrow poll symbol, party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday slammed Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Sena faction along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while terming the poll panel’s order as an “injustice” towards him and the party.