Maharashtra: EC grants new names to Uddhav, Shinde factions

The Election Commission has allotted the party's name Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led group. While the Commission has rejected the symbol of the party opted by the Shinde group saying that the three symbols furnished by this group are not in the list of free symbols as notified by the Commission. It has asked the Shinde group to furnish a fresh list of three symbols by 10 AM on Tuesday.While the Election Commission has allotted the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) as the party name to the former Maharasthra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. The Commission has also allotted Flaming Torch as a party symbol to it in the current Andheri East Bye-elections.
Earlier, the Election Commission barred both the groups led by former Maharastra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and State Chief Minster Eknath Shinde from using the party name Shiv Sena in the upcoming Andheri East Bye-elections and till the final determination of the dispute in the matter.The measure is interim and will last till the poll body takes a call on the "Who is the real Sena" question. The Sena versus Sena saga started in June when Mr Shinde led 48 MLAs in a BJP-backed coup against then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, bringing down his coalition government. Mr Shinde then formed a new government with the BJP. The tussle now is for the party name, election  symbol and the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, party founder and father of Uddhav Thackeray.