Help us to get back 'mashaal' symbol, says Samata to Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

THANE: A delegation of Samata Party from Bihar met CM Eknath Shinde and sought his help in getting back its 'mashaal' election symbol that has been allotted to the Uddhav Thackeray faction. The delegation, led by party president Uday Mandal, met Shinde at his office in Thane on Tuesday evening, according to a release from Shinde's office.
The delegation told Shinde Samata Party was an old political outfit and "mashaal" was its symbol. But after change in guard in Maharashtra, EC allotted it to the Uddhav faction, the release said. The Uddhav team has been allowed to use the symbol until the February 26 byelections.
The delegation told Shinde they would challenge EC's decision in SC to get back their symbol, the release added. The delegation sought CM's help in getting back Samata's symbol the way he got the 'bow and arrow' symbol. While allotting the 'mashaal' symbol to Thackeray, the election commission had said it was not in the list of free symbols and was an "erstwhile reserved symbol" of the now-derecognised Samata Party but it had decided to allot it on a request to declare it a free symbol.