Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed a "deal of Rs 2000 crore" has taken place so far to "purchase" the Shiv Sena party name and its 'bow and arrow' symbol. However, MLA Sada Sarvankar from the camp led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde dismissed the claim and asked, "Is Sanjay Raut a cashier?"Raut in a tweet claimed the Rs 2,000 crore was a preliminary figure and this was 100 per cent true. He also told reporters that a builder close to the ruling dispensation shared this information with him.
Ruling on a dispute that began in June last year, the Election Commission decided Friday that the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was the real Shiv Sena as opposed to the group led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray.It said the party name and symbol of ‘Bow and Arrow’ would be retained by the Shinde group. Shinde hailed the EC decision, calling it “the victory of ideologies of Balasaheb and Anand Dighe, of our workers, MPs, MLAs, public representatives and lakhs of Shiv Sainiks. It is a victory for democracy”.