Uddhav faction writes to EC on party symbol, name; alleges bias

The Election Commission had earlier this week cleared the poll symbols for both Shinde and Uddhav factions.

Days after a new poll symbol and name for its party was cleared by the Election Commission, the Uddhav Thackeray faction has written a letter to the poll body, alleging "bias, favouritism and foul play" while distributing the party symbols. The Uddhav faction is locked in a standoff with the Eknath Shinde camp after Shinde's revolt against the former Maharashtra chief minister had split the Shiv Sena. The allocation of poll symbols came after the Election Commission had frozen the Shiv Sena poll symbol ahead of the key bypolls in Mumbai's Andheri.

(File) Uddhav Thackeray addresses party's Gatpramukh rally, at Nesco Complex, in Mumbai. (ANI) 

“Several communications and actions of the ECI (Election Commission of India) have given rise to a serious apprehension of bias in the mind of the respondent (Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray),” the letter reads, news agency ANI reported. Thackeray 's advocate, Vivek Singh, has written the letter.

Earlier this week, the Election Commission had cleared a lit fire torch - or a mashaal - as the poll symbol for the Uddhav faction; while the name - Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray - was cleared.

Meanwhile, the team has also approached the high court, alleging that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was “under pressure” to not accept the resignation of its employee Rujuta Latke. Latke is Team Uddhav's candidate in the forthcoming Andheri East by-poll, and she cannot contest the election till the civic body releases her from her job. Friday happens to be the last date for the filing of nominations.

Shinde's faction has got two swords and a shield as its party symbol. The Shinde camp had got the name ‘Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena)’ from the poll panel a day earlier.

(With inputs from ANI)