The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Monday described the Election Commission's decision to allot the 'Shiv Sena' and the 'bow and arrow' symbol to the camp led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde camp as a "property deal".
It is no longer a secret that the name Shiv Sena and its poll symbol have been "purchased" like shopping of peanuts from an outlet, said an editorial in Saamana, the mouthpiece of the Sena (UBT). In a big blow to Uddhav Thackeray, the Election Commission on Friday allotted the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its poll symbol ‘bow and arrow’ to the group led by CM Shinde. The EC allowed the Thackeray faction to retain the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the ‘flaming torch’ poll symbol, given to it in an interim order in October last year, till the conclusion of the upcoming Assembly bypolls in the state.
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"The Election Commission treated the whole issue like a property deal and handed over Shiv Sena, nurtured by Thackeray, to those who are licking the boots of Delhi,” the Marathi publication claimed. “It is also not hidden any longer that the 'bow and arrow' symbol of Shiv Sena was given because of the favour from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This person is No 1 enemy of Maharashtra and Marathi people.
Those who are aligning with Shah should be seen as enemies of Maharashtra,” it claimed. The editorial also reiterated Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's claim that Rs 2,000 crore has been spent so far for the present (Shinde-led) government formation and obtaining a favourable decision from the EC. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it said, "The PM should announce from the Red Fort that he has dismantled the independence in its 75th year and an autocratic regime has started in the country. The judiciary, Parliament, news media and EC like autonomous institutions will henceforth function as our slave.”
Further targeting the BJP-led Centre, the editorial said, "Those who would raise their voice for freedom will be treated as anti-nationals and hanged till death. The attack on Maharashtra is an attack on country's democracy. Nowhere else in history, power was grossly misused like today." The EC should have waited till the completion of the ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court over the validity of the Shinde camp, it said.
“There is a possibility that some major industrialist like Adani, Ambani or Nirav Modi will purchase all the MLAs and MPs and claim ownership of a party. The Rs 2,000 crore deal was used to buy the new government and now the Shiv Sena name and its symbol have been traded. What sort of democracy is this?” it asked. The editorial also asked whether the affidavits filed by Shiv Sena supporters before the EC (of support to the Thackeray faction) carry any weightage or not. The MLAs who won, got votes in the name of Thackeray, have little chance to win the election again on their own, it claimed.