Bow and Arrow row: Victory of ideologies of Balasaheb, says Shinde; Uddhav camp to move SC

Election Commission today ordered that the party name "Shiv Sena" and the party symbol "Bow and Arrow" will be retained by the Eknath Shinde faction.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday welcomed the Election Commission's decision to recognise his faction as the real Shiv Sena.

"It's the victory of ideologies of Balasaheb and Anand Dighe, of our workers, MPs, MLAs, public representatives and lakhs of Shiv Sainiks. It's victory of democracy," said Shinde on EC order on "Bow & Arrow" symbol.

"This country runs on the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. We formed our Government on the basis of that Constitution. The EC order that came today is on the basis of merit. I express my gratitude to the Election Commission," he added.

Meanwhile, Shinde updated his display picture on Twitter and put up Shiv Sena's 'bow and arrow' symbol as the picture.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said it is now proved that Eknath Shinde leads the real Shiv Sena.

"The Shiv Sena that walks on ideologies of Balasaheb Thackeray - CM Shinde's Shiv Sena has become the original Shiv Sena. My greetings to him. We were confident from day one because if you look at EC's earlier orders on different parties, they were similar decisions," he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut described the EC order as murder of democracy.

Raut told reporters that his party will go to the people against the poll panel decision.

"We will challenge the decision. Such a decision was expected. All this has happened under pressure. I don't have faith in Election Commission," he said.

This is a victory of khoke (boxes), Raut said, in an apparent reference to allegations of Shinde faction MLAs taking money to switch sides.

NCP leader Supriya Sule said, "We are surprised over the EC decision. It is an autonomous body and I don't know on what basis the poll panel took this decision."

"The Shiv Sena was founded by Balasaheb Thackeray and he had decided that Uddhav Thackeray will be his political successor," Sule said.

Election Commission's decision to recognise the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena was on expected lines, said Congress leader and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Election Commission today ordered that the party name "Shiv Sena" and the party symbol "Bow and Arrow" will be retained by the Eknath Shinde faction.