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The Election Commission has asked the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena to respond by Saturday to the claim made by rival Eknath Shinde camp on the party’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol in view of the upcoming assembly bypoll in the state.
The commission’s directive to the Thackeray faction came on Friday, when the Shinde faction submitted a memorandum seeking allocation of the ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll approaches.
In a letter to Thackeray, the Commission asked him to furnish comments along with requisite documents latest by 2:00 pm on October 8.
Earlier, Thackeray had said Shinde could not claim the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol as the former party strongman and other MLAs on his side had “voluntarily” quit the party.
शिंदे गटाने स्वेच्छेने शिवसेना पक्ष सोडला आहे. त्यामुळे ते पक्षावर किंवा पक्षाच्या चिन्ह्यावर दावा करू शकत नसल्याचे शिवसेना पक्षप्रमुख उद्धव ठाकरे यांच्याकडून स्पष्ट करण्यात आले आहे. #Shivsena pic.twitter.com/DuS6RxB6M6
— Saamana (@SaamanaOnline) October 7, 2022
“The Shinde group has voluntarily left the Shiv Sena. Hence, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has clarified that he cannot claim the party or the party symbol. #Shivsena,” party mouthpiece Saamana tweeted.
