In the midst of a battle with the Uddhav Thackeray faction, the Eknath Shinde camp submitted a list of their three choices for the party symbol to the Election Commission of India via email on Tuesday morning, according to people familiar with the matter. The choices that have been submitted are said to be the sun, sword and shield, and pipal tree. The EC had frozen the Shiv Sena’s “bow and arrow” symbol last week amid a growing schism. The case had even made it to the Supreme Court.
The poll body allowed Team Eknath Shinde to name the party Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena) on Monday. Shiv Sena (Balasaheb Thackeray), the team’s other choice, was rejected on the grounds that it was also team Uddhav’s first choice.
Following the EC’s approval of the name, Shinde – in a tweet roughly translated from Marathi – – said: “Finally the victory of Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva ideals. We are the inheritors of his ideals.” Eknath Shinde has insisted that he continues to follow the ideals of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray ever since he revolted against Uddhav Thackeray and later took charge as Maharashtra chief minister.
The EC has already approved a symbol for the Uddhav Thackeray camp: a flaming torch, also known as a “mashaal.” Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Team Uddhav’s second choice of name, has been approved.
The developments come ahead of a crucial by-election in Mumbai’s Andheri on November 3 – the first since the Uddhav Thackeray government collapsed in June.