After EC ruling on symbol, CM Shinde to chair first Sena National Executive meet today

MUMBAI, (ANI): Days after the Election Commission allotted the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the ruling faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the new Shiv Sena will hold its first National Executive meeting on Tuesday evening.

State minister from the Shinde faction, Deepak Kesarkar, on Tuesday said some new office bearers are likely to be appointed during the meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

“The First National Executive meeting of the Shiv Sena (led by Shinde), since the Election Commission’s order awarding the Shiv Sena name and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to us, will be held this evening. Some new office bearers may be appointed at the meeting,” Kesarkar told reporters on Tuesday.

Dealing a huge blow to the rival Sena faction led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the EC on Friday allotted the original party name and its symbol to the ruling faction led by Shinde.

While the Uddhav faction have moved the Supreme Court challenging the EC’s decision on the fate of the original Sena name and symbol, the ruling faction have already filed a caveat in the apex court. Both the factions have been at loggerheads over the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol since Shinde revolted against Thackeray along with a band loyalist MLAs, MPs and leaders last year. The revolt eventually led to the demise of the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government after it was reduced to a minority following the desertion of sitting MLAs to the Shinde camp.

While the present CM welcomed EC’s ruling on the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol, calling it the triumph of the ideals of Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Uddhav hit out at the poll panel, accusing it of working at the behest of the BJP at the Centre. Last month, both factions submitted written statements in support of their claims of control over the party name and symbol to the Election Commission.

The EC had frozen the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol of the Shiv Sena, allotting, instead, the ‘Two Swords and Shield’ symbol to the Shinde faction and the ‘flaming torch’ (mashaal) symbol to the Uddhav faction, ahead of the bypoll to Andheri East assembly constituency in November last year. (ANI)