New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday (October 11, 2022) alloted the "two swords and a shield" poll symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction. The development comes hours after the "Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena", the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena, on Tuesday submitted its choice of three poll symbols to the EC.


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On Monday, the Shinde camp's three choices were rejected by the poll panel and were asked to send a fresh list on Tuesday. As per reports, the other two fresh symbols submitted by the Shinde group were 'peepal tree' and Sun.


Last week, 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.


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

It recognised the Shinde faction as 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' (Balasaheb's Shiv Sena) but rejected 'trishul', 'gada' (mace) and 'rising sun' as its poll symbols. Trishul and gada were rejected as they had religious connotations.
 



The Thackeray faction too had given trishul and rising sun as its choices.

The rising sun is the symbol of the DMK, a recognised state party. 


 


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 agency inputs)