The Shiv Sena said its a bushfire that can never be extinguished and promised to "bounce back" from the Election Commission's decision to freeze the party's name and symbol, which the Uddhav Thackeray faction claimed was nothing short of "injustice".
As per the report of PTI, the ECI had, on October 8, frozen the party's 'bow and arrow' symbol as well as the use of its name ahead of the November 3 Andheri East Assembly bypoll in Mumbai.
In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Samaana', it said, "This (EC decision) is the sin of Delhi. Dishonest persons carried out this dishonesty. But we would like to assure we will stand strong despite innumerable catastrophes." The EC took a "cruel" decision to "finish off the Shiv Sena founded by Bal Thackeray" because of the objections raised in front of it by the "traitors" led by (Maharashtra Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde, the editorial alleged.
“With this decision, the Election Commission has spread darkness in Maharashtra. Fifty-six years ago, Balasaheb Thackeray lit a bushfire for Marathi identity and to give justice to the Marathi-speaking populace. But Eknath Shinde and 40 other traitors have become slaves of Delhi (Centre) to finish off the Shiv Sena,” it further claimed.
“The Election Commission’s decision is nothing but injustice. The EC is expected to work independently and should not come under any pressure. However, everything that happened here is the opposite,” the editorial alleged.