People who know about the situation say that the Uddhav Thackeray faction has started making a list of names and symbols they could use to run in the Mumbai municipal elections if the Election Commission (EC) doesn’t let them keep the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) name and the flaming torch symbol.
On Friday, the polling body gave the Shiv Sena name and its famous bow-and-arrow symbol to the group led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Thackeray group was allowed to keep the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) name and the flaming torch symbol until the byelections on February 26.
Leaders from the Thackeray camp said that they will challenge the EC order in the Supreme Court, but they have already started making a list of other names and symbols for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
“While fighting in SC, we will get ready for a new name and symbol. We will first ask EC if we can keep the name Shiv Sena (UBT) and the symbol of a torch on fire. But if the EC doesn’t like it, other names with “Shiv Sena” in them and different symbols will be suggested, a leader from the Uddhav camp said on the condition of anonymity.
Since April 2022, the BMC elections have been overdue. Thackeray told his supporters at a meeting on Saturday that the ruling alliance could soon announce elections for city councils. “Get ready to go to the polls soon. Thackeray said, “We have made a list of some other symbols because we think they will get rid of the flaming torch.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokeswoman Priyanka Chaturvedi said that after the SC ruling, they will decide what to do next. “We’re going to fight the EC’s order in the Supreme Court. We hope that the SC will stop the order from the EC. What happens at the SC hearing will determine what happens next and what plans are made. “Now that the EC has made its decision, the party is ready for anything,” Chaturvedi said.
