Shiv Sena symbol row: With ‘bow and arrow’ symbol frozen, Aaditya Thackeray calls foul, lashes at Shinde faction

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray did not welcome the decision of the Election Commission to freeze the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol of the party in the midst of the tussle between Uddhav Thackeray and Eknakth Shinde over the past few months.

Aaditya Thackeray, who is the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddav Thackeray, took a jibe at current CM Eknath Shinde -led-faction Shiv Sena as "traitors" after the Election Commission (EC) froze the symbol barring both the rival camps in the party from using it in the upcoming Assembly by-poll slated for November 3.

While tweeting in Marathi, Thackeray wrote, “Boxed traitors today have done a despicable and shameless act of freezing the Shiv Sena’s name and symbol. The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate this. Will fight and win! We are on the side of truth! Satyamev Jayate!”

Amid a row over Shiv Sena’s ‘Bow and Arrow’ symbol claim, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday froze the symbol barring both the rival camps in the party from using it in the upcoming Assembly by-poll slated for November 3.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant, who is from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the party, was also disgruntled by the decision of the EC and said that the “constitution is being made fun of” by freezing the bow and arrow symbol of the party.

While speaking to ANI, Sawant said, “There should have been court proceedings and probes, considering the way they have frozen our election symbol. What's happening in the country? Where do we see hope? Constitution has been made fun of.”

The Election Commission on Saturday said that neither of the factions of the Shiv Sena was allowed to use the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol, saying that “both groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols”.

The spat between Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray deepened when the former led a rebellion against Thackeray and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in the state, crumbling the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

(With ANI inputs)

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