The Central Election Commission (ECI) has confiscated the party symbol of Shiv Sena, which was the cause of the crisis between the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions.

There was a prestige clash between former CM Uddhav Thackeray and current CM Eknath Shinde factions over the party symbol. Both factions claimed that they are the real Shiv Sena. They stuck to the party symbol of the bow and arrow. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court and was referred to the Election Commission.

CM Shinde’s faction had presented a strong argument before the Election Commission on Friday that the party symbol should be given to our faction. The Commission had given a deadline to the Uddhav Thackeray faction to reply to the Shinde faction’s argument by Saturday evening.

Appearing before the Election Commission on Saturday evening, Thackeray faction leaders argued that we need the party symbol. “Our family founded the Shiv Sena party. Shinde faction leaders have left the party. He has nothing to do with Shiv Sena. Therefore, the party symbol should remain with us,” he argued.

Claiming the majority, Shinde had stood for the factional symbol. After listening to both sides, the Election Commission has passed an interim order freezing the Shiv Sena party’s bow symbol. With this decision of the commission, both the factions have to look for different symbols in the upcoming Andheri by-election.