The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction got a modified 'mashaal' (torch) election symbol from the Election Commission today (October 18). In the Lok Sabha elections, the 'mashaal' election symbol was said to look like an ice cream cone by the Uddhav faction. Now, a slight change has been made and a clear 'mashaal' has been shown in the symbol.
The poll panel has declined to allot 'Trishul', 'Rising Sun' and 'Gada' as symbols as they are "not in the list of free symbols". It earlier asked the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena to furnish a list of three fresh symbols by October 11 and declared the 'flaming torch' as the symbol of candidates of the Thackeray faction in the current by-election and till the final order is passed in the current dispute.
No major issue in MVA over seat deal for polls: Uddhav Thackeray
Amid an impasse over seat-sharing among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties in poll-bound Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray cautioned that haggling among allies, particularly the Congress, must not be allowed to reach a breaking point.
Addressing a press conference, the Sena (UBT) chief maintained he has not heard from his party leaders involved in seat-sharing talks with other MVA constituents that there was any major issue in clinching a deal for the November 20 elections to the 288-member assembly.
Seat-sharing talks among partners in the opposition alliance- the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP)- were in final stages and a deal could be sealed by Saturday or in the next 2 to 3 days, Thackeray emphasised.
"Haggling among allies must not be allowed to reach a breaking point," the former CM cautioned as talks among MVA parties for allocation of seats dragged on.
Thackeray asserted the political scenario in Maharashtra has changed and people have decided to bring the opposition MVA to power in the assembly polls. Four days after the Election Commission declared schedule for the assembly polls, neither the opposition MVA nor the ruling Mahayuti- comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP- have announced their much-awaited seat-sharing pact, indicating hard bargaining among parties.
While Thackeray appeared cautious in his remarks over reaching a consensus, his party colleague and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut was more harsh in his criticism aimed at Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole.
