Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday continued his attack on BJP and the Shinde faction – a day after the Election Commission passed its order that the Eknath Shinde faction will get the official name of the Shiv Sena and the bow-arrow symbol. Calling them ‘thieves’, Thackeray said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs the mask of Balasaheb Thackeray to come to Maharashtra”.
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“I would like to say that they want the face of Balasaheb Thackeray, and the election symbol but they don’t want the family of Shiv Sena. People of the state know which face is real and which is not,” he said while addressing a large crowd assembled as a show of strength outside Matoshree.
The former CM added, “Thieves were given the holy ‘bow and arrow’, similarly the ‘torch’ (Mashaal) can be taken away. I challenge them – if they are men, come in front of us with the stolen ‘bow & arrow’, we will contest the election with the ‘torch’.”
“This is our test, the battle has begun,” he said.
Also read: Why Uddhav lost to Shinde in fight over ‘bow and arrow’: 5 points from EC order
On Friday, the election commission passed its 78-page order on the Shiv Sena party name and symbol – months after it was frozen amid an ongoing tussle between the Shinde faction and the Uddhav Thackeray faction over its rights. During the bypoll, the Shinde faction was allotted two swords and a shield symbol, and the Uddhav faction was allotted a flaming torch symbol.
Earlier in the day, Uddhav Thackeray called a meeting of his party leaders and functionaries to discuss the future course of action on the issue. The UBT faction may move the Supreme Court, reports said.