“The order from the Election Commission is wrong. The Supreme Court is the last ray of hope. There is not a single case where the party name and symbol have been given directly to a faction,” Thackeray said in a press conference at the Sena Bhavan in Mumbai.
“What need was there for the EC to make this decision quickly? The Electoral Commission should be dissolved,” said Thackeray.
“I have lost faith in EC”
“We have lost faith in the Election Commission. There should be a proper procedure for election commissioners. A similar procedure is in practice when it comes to appointing Supreme Court justices,” Uddhav said.
“The decision of the election commission to “hand over” Name of Shiv Sena and the symbol (to CM Eknath Shinde) is absolutely wrong. The decision should have been based on the history of the incidents,” he said, adding: “The Commission had asked us to submit affidavits and a list of party workers. We have filed thousands of affidavits, spent thousands of rupees to file them. But the EC completely ignored the same thing while ruling on the party name and symbol.”
Uddhav’s camp moves SC against EC’s decision
Thackeray’s media briefing came after the Supreme Court earlier in the day refused to accommodate an oral subpoena made by his faction to urgently list its ground for appealing the EC’s decision.
Bribe paid by Eknath Shinde camp to get hold of symbol of Shiv Sena – Sanjay Raut
The Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray on Monday cited before the Supreme Court his request for an urgent hearing on the petition contesting the Election Commission’s move to assign the party name “Shiv Sena” and the symbol “Bow and arrow to the faction led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the lawyer of the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray to speak on Tuesday. Senior Advocate Abhishek M Singhvi mentioned the plea against the EC decision.
A panel chaired by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud noted that the request for an urgent hearing on the petition was not mentioned in the list. The court said the request for an emergency hearing should have been listed. The court asked Singhvi to come on Tuesday and talk about it.
Meanwhile, the Shinde Group has already filed a Caveat motion with the Supreme Court on the matter. A warning application is made by a litigant to ensure that no adverse orders are issued against him or her without being heard.
It can take everything except my name: Uddhav
Stating that the BJP intends to finish off Shiv Sena, Uddhav said, “The theft of our party name and symbol is part of a larger conspiracy… The name (Shiv Sena) and symbol (bow and arrow) of our party have been stolen, but the name ‘Thackeray’ cannot be stolen.”
Accusing the BJP of destroying democracy with the help of democratic institutions, Thackeray said: “What the BJP has done to us today, it can do to anyone. If this continues, after 2024, there will be no democracy or elections.” in the country.”
He said he has received calls for support from Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Nitish Kumar and many other leaders.
BJP responds to Uddhav’s “Mogambo” line
Responding to union Home Minister Amit Shah welcoming the EC’s decision, Thackeray on Sunday sarcastically said “Mogambo khush hua,” a line the villain in the film Mr India often repeats when a plan succeeds.
Watch: Uddhav Thackeray’s Mogambo reference for Amit Shah
On Monday, the BJP focused its response on the film’s protagonist’s ability to disappear.
“Uddhav Thackeray is rushing to label the BJP leadership as Mogambo. What he fails to understand is that with such an idiotic comment, he himself is becoming Mr. India. You have almost disappeared from Maharashtra politics. You have to stay at home” , BJP MLA from Mumbai said Atul Bhatkhalkar.
Raut stands by his allegations
Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Sanjay Raut faction, on Monday refused to give in to his bribery allegations against the Election Commission over the sale of the ‘bow and arrow symbol’, stressing that he stands by his statement and will show proof when the time comes .
Raut on 19 February said that so far deals and transactions worth Rs 2000 crore have been made to get the Shiv Sena party name and its symbol ‘bow and arrow’.
Meet at Shiv Sena Bhavan
When asked about the Shinde faction that has taken over various properties of Shiv Sena, he said: ‘I challenge them to stop using my father’s name (the late Balasaheb Thackeray) and his photo. Let me put his father’s photo and then ask for votes”.
Thackeray Vs Shinde: Shiv Sena Party legislative office handed over to Shinde Group
Thackeray said the EC had already recognized his camp with a separate name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and also gave him a flaming torch as a symbol. “This means that the EC had already recognized our separate existence,” he said.
Thackeray met his close associates at the Shiv Sena Bhavan on Monday. Party leaders Sanjay Raut, Subhash Desai, Anil Desai and Anil Parab were present.
Thackeray also invited several district leaders from his field to discuss the future course of action.
On February 17, the Election Commission had recognized the faction led by Shinde as the true Shiv Sena and ordered the awarding of the “bow and arrow” electoral symbol, in the process dealing a major blow to Uddhav Thackeray, whose father Bal Thackeray founded the dress in 1966.
The EC has allowed Thackeray’s faction to keep the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the electoral symbol of the ‘flaming torch’, awarded to it in an interim order in October last year, until the conclusion of the upcoming election meeting in state.
Uddhav Thackeray had said on Sunday that all political parties must open their eyes and remain cautious in the wake of the Election Commission’s decision to recognize the faction led by CM Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena.
(With contributions from agencies)
Clock Sena symbol war: Uddhav Thackeray moves Supreme Court against EC order
