Politics

Bow & Arrow to Whip: Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde in Attack Mode | Sena Vs Sena Court Battle

September 27, 2022
Bharat Times

Last Updated: September 27, 2022, 21:18 IST

Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde have been fighting it out in court and on-ground. (Twitter)

The SC has set aside a stay on proceedings before the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the ‘real’ Shiv Sena symbol — bow and arrow — case. A look at the timeline of the Sena versus Sena fight in court

In a relief for the Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Eknath Shinde-led faction and a setback for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena camp, the Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a stay on proceedings before the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the ‘real’ Shiv Sena symbol — bow and arrow — case. The top court has given permission to the ECI to conduct the proceedings on who is the ‘real’ Shiv Sena.

In June, Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde, along with 39 other party MLAs and some independents, had rebelled against the party leadership, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The Shiv Sena had parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post. The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena had tied-up with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to form the MVA coalition government in the state.

Amid high drama, Shinde tied up with the BJP and was sworn in as the Maharashtra Chief Minister on June 30, with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as his Deputy. Shinde also claimed that his faction was the “real Sena”, thus starting a battle with Uddhav Thackeray on-ground and in the Supreme Court.

A look at the legal fight between Thackeray’s and Shinde’s Sena:

  • FLOOR TEST, INVITE TO SHINDE: The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction had approached the SC challenging Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari’s decision to invite Eknath Shinde to form the government and also the Speaker’s election and floor test.
    On June 29, the top court gave a go-ahead to the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on June 30. Refusing to stay the Governor’s direction to the then CM Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority support on the floor of the House on June 30, the bench had issued a notice on Sunil Prabhu’s plea against the floor test. After the apex court’s order, Thackeray announced his resignation as the Chief Minister and Eknath Shinde was later sworn in as the Chief Minister.
  • ALSO READ | Fight for City of (Their) Dreams: Eknath Shinde’s ‘Muddas’ Vs Uddhav Thackeray’s ‘Shakhas’ in Mumbai Polls​
  • REAL SENA: Thackeray then challenged the Shinde group’s plea to the poll panel, claiming they are the ‘real Shiv Sena’ and hence should be granted the party symbol. The ECI had asked the both factions to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol of the political party.
  • WHIP: Thackeray had also challenged the newly appointed Assembly Speaker’s action recognising the whip of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group as the whip of Shiv Sena. The plea said the newly appointed Speaker has no jurisdiction to recognise whips nominated by Shinde as Uddhav Thackeray is still the head of Shiv Sena official party.
  • SUSPENSION: Sunil Prabhu had filed a plea seeking suspension from Maharashtra Assembly of Shinde and 15 rebel MLAs against whom disqualification pleas are pending. The Shinde group challenged in the SC the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker to 16 rebel MLAs as well as the appointment of Ajay Choudhary as Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader.
    The SC, meanwhile, had asked Speaker Rahul Narwekar not to take any action on the new disqualification notices issued against the members of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.
  • RAUT, VICHARE, SHIVALE: The Thackeray faction knocked the doors of the SC, alleging its leaders Vinayak Raut and Rajan Vichare have been “illegally, arbitrarily, and unilaterally” removed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla as a leader of the party in House and chief whip, respectively.Moreover, the Uddhav camp challenged the appointment of Rahul Shivale as the Leader of the Shiv Sena in Lok Sabha from July 18 “at the behest of certain delinquent MPs who are guilty of anti-party activities”.
  • ALSO READ | Mumbai Ka King Kaun? BMC Polls Moment of Truth for Rebel Shinde, Snubbed Thackeray
  • SYMBOL: On August 23, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on Shinde faction’s plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party’s poll symbol.

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