NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday came down heavily on Election Commission over its decision of allocating the Shiv Sena party symbol to Eknath Shinde faction. Besides recognising the Shinde-led bloc as the real Shiv Sena, the poll panel had also ordered allotment of the party’s original ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol to it.
“Today the Election Commission and other organizations are giving decisions that the ruling government wants. Today, the organization which is working in the country under Modi’s leadership thinks they will keep the power in their hand. But someone complained to the Election Commission and the Election Commission gave a verdict and allotted the Shiv Sena and its symbol to someone else from those who formed this party. This is a big attack on political parties,” Pawar added.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the Election Commission order recognising the Eknath Shinde-led bloc as the real Shiv Sena and issued a notice to the group headed by the Maharashtra chief minister on the plea of the rival Uddhav Thackeray camp challenging the poll panel’s decision.