The Election Commission of India recently gave the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction a revised ‘Mashaal’ symbol for the upcoming Maharashtra state assembly elections. This decision came after criticism during the Lok Sabha polls, where the original ‘mashaal’ symbol was mocked for looking like an ice cream cone. The updated symbol now provides a clearer representation of the ‘mashaal.’
In a previous development in October 2022, the Election Commission allocated the name ‘Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’ to the faction led by Eknath Shinde and ‘Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)’ to Uddhav Thackeray’s faction. The EC rejected symbols like ‘Trishul’, ‘Rising Sun’, and ‘Gada’ as they were not on the list of free symbols.
Following a split in the party in June 2022, Eknath Shinde parted ways with the Shiv Sena, leading to the downfall of the Maharashtra government under Uddhav Thackeray. The EC then assigned the ‘mashaal’ symbol to Uddhav Thackeray’s faction and the ‘two swords and shield’ symbol to Shinde’s faction.
The upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, scheduled for November 20, will see candidates from both factions facing off. Eknath Shinde, who rose from being a rickshaw driver to Chief Minister, has faced numerous challenges leading the coalition government and is seen as an underdog success story in Maharashtra politics.
