EC allots 'two swords and a shield' as poll symbol to Shinde faction of Shiv Sena

Eknath Shinde. File pic

The Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has been alloted 'two swords and a shield' as the poll symbol by the Election Commission on Tuesday.

In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Commission said it has decided to declare 'Do Talwarein aur Ek Dhal (Two Swords & Shield)' to be a free symbol and allot it to the candidate set up, if any, by the Shinde-led group in the current bye-election.

The Shinde faction, which is now named as 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena', will be able to use the symbol for the Andheri East assembly bypoll.

Also read: Sena factions get new names; Thackeray faction gets 'flaming torch' poll symbol

On Saturday, the EC had barred the Uddhav Thackeray and Shinde factions from using the party name and its 'bow and arrow' symbol for the November 3 Andheri East assembly bypoll.

The interim order said the party name and symbol stand frozen till the dispute between the two factions on which is the real Shiv Sena is adjudicated by the EC.

On Monday, the EC had allotted 'flaming torch' (mashaal) election symbol to the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and recognised it as 'Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray'.

Shinde had rebelled against Thackeray's leadership, claiming the support of 40 of the Shiv Sena's 55 MLAs and 12 of its 18 members in the Lok Sabha.

Following Thackeray's resignation as chief minister of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition, Shinde became chief minister with the support of the BJP.

(With inputs from PTI)