Mumbai Feb 17,2023: In a major setback to Uddhav Thackeray, the Election Commission of India on Friday recognised the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction as the real Shiv Sena and also allotted tit he traditional party symbol of bow and arrow.
In a 78-page order, the ECI ruled that Shinde, who became Chief Minister eight months back after revolting against then Chief Minister Thackeray, was supported by MLAs with 76 percent of the party’s winning votes in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.
The election panel, however, allowed the Thackeray faction to keep the ‘flaming torch’ poll symbol allotted last year.
Shinde, who was speaking to a news channel, called the ECI decision “victory of truth”.
“The Election Commission has given a decision based on democracy. Thanks to Election Commission, democracy has won. This is the victory of our struggle,” said Shinde.
“We had a big struggle”, Shinde said emotionally.
Thackeray was yet to react on the development.
