Why Sharad Pawar wants Uddhav to accept new party symbol

After the Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered on Friday that the party name “Shiv Sena” and the party symbol “bow and arrow” will be given to the Eknath Shinde faction, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar has urged his ally Uddhav Thackeray to accept the new symbol, stating that it would not have any major impact. He also underlined that the people would accept the new symbol.

The NCP chief asked Thackeray to accept the Election Commission’s decision and take a new symbol. “It’s the decision of the Election Commission. Once a decision is given, there can be no discussion. Accept it and take a new symbol. It (the loss of the old symbol) is not going to have any major impact as people will accept (the new symbol). It just would remain in the discussion for the next 15-30 days, that’s it,” Pawar said.

Evokes Congress’ ‘two bullocks with a yoke’ symbol  

Pawar also recalled how the Congress had to change its symbol from ‘two bullocks with a yoke’ to ‘hand’ and said that the people would accept the new symbol of Uddhav Thackeray faction like the way they accepted the Congress’ new symbol. “I remember Indira Gandhi also faced this situation. Congress used to have a ‘two bullocks with a yoke’ symbol. Later, they lost it and adopted ‘hand’ as a new symbol and people accepted it. Similarly, people will accept the new symbol (of Uddhav Thackeray faction),” he said.

Also read: Uddhav’s faction to meet to take stock of situation after EC blow

Will move SC: Uddhav Thackeray

In a major setback to Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackery faction, the ECI on Friday allotted the party name “Shiv Sena” and the symbol “Bow and Arrow” to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

In the unanimous order on the six-month-old petition filed by Shinde, the three-member Commission stated it had relied on the numerical strength of the party in the legislative wing, where the CM enjoyed the support of 40 of the 55 MLAs and 13 of the 18 Lok Sabha members.

Also read: Rival Sena factions claim Supreme Court will vindicate them

While the Shinde faction welcomed the decision of being recognised as the real Shiv Sena, the Uddhav Thackeray faction said they will move the Supreme Court. Shinde formed the government in alliance with the BJP in June last year,  claiming support of 40 of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs and 13 of the 18 Lok Sabha members, after he broke ranks with Thackeray.