Majority prevails, says Eknath Shinde; whole country is watching, says Aaditya Thackeray

In a democracy, majority carries the day. We have a majority in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly,” Shinde said, adding that constitutional experts felt that their position was strong

Mumbai Jubilation marked the Eknath Shinde camp after the Supreme Court (SC) refused to stay the Election Commission of India (ECI) from deciding who represents the “real” Shiv Sena — chief minister Shinde or Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. The Thackeray faction however put up a brave face and claimed that the party had faith in the judicial process and this fight was “important for democracy and the constitution”.

“We have never done anything outside the purview of the law,” he said and pointed out that apex court rejected the demand of the Thackeray faction to stay the proceedings of the ECI (HT PHOTO)

“In a democracy, majority carries the day. We have a majority in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly,” Shinde said, adding that constitutional experts felt that their position was strong.

“We have never done anything outside the purview of the law,” he said and pointed out that apex court rejected the demand of the Thackeray faction to stay the proceedings of the ECI.

Kalyan Lok Sabha MP and son of the chief minister, Shrikant Shinde, called the SC order a victory of democracy. “I hope this opens the eyes of the opponents,” said Shinde, while addressing a press meet at Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) headquarters.

School education minister Deepak Kesarkar, who is also the spokesperson for the Shinde group said: “In a way, the rejection is a reply to them (Thackeray camp).” Kesarkar added that the SC had underlined the importance of a constitutional authority and added that now, the ECI will consider the evidence put before it and decide on whom the symbol should be allocated to.

However, Shiv Sena leader and Yuva Sena chief, Aaditya Thackeray, said that the party’s fight was not over, which would eventually have a strong bearing on the fate of democracy in India. “A hearing will take place there and we are prepared for it. We have faith in the judicial process. This battle is important for democracy and the constitution. The entire country is watching,” he said.

Thackeray also pointed out that the issue of disqualification of rebel MLAs was still pending before the SC and that Tuesday’s order would have no bearing on it.

Shiv Sena spokesperson and South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant did not look upon the order as a setback for the Shiv Sena. “Our demand was that the issue of disqualification should be decided first and then the dispute before the ECI sorted out,” Sawant said.

On June 20, Eknath Shinde, the urban development minister in the Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, launched his rebellion by stealth to eventually form a government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On July 19, Shinde approached ECI under the Election Symbols (Reservations and Allotment) Order, 1968, seeking recognition as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena, and also claimed the right to use the party’s ‘bow-and-arrow’ symbol.