Court Verdict On Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs Is Priority: Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray, who heads a faction of the Shiv Sena, on Wednesday said that the decision by the Supreme Court on the disqualification of the party's rebel MLAs should come first and then by the Election Commission (EC) on whom the original party belongs to.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Thackeray also asked why the EC froze the 'Shiv Sena' name and its 'bow and arrow' symbol when it has not been used by the rival Eknath Shinde faction yet.

The decision on disqualification should come first and then by the Election Commission (which faction is the original Shiv Sena), Mr Thackeray said, adding that the Supreme Court will start hearing the matter related to the disqualification of rebel MLAs on a daily basis from February 14.

The Shiv Sena was split after Mr Shinde broke away last year, triggering the collapse of the Maha Vikash Aghadi government - an alliance of Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party - led by Mr Thackeray. He then joined hands with the BJP to become the chief minister.

Giving the sequence of events, Mr Thackeray said the MLAs rebelled in June after which the Shiv Sena approached the Supreme Court seeking their disqualification, while the dissidents sought to stake claim over the party in July.

On January 30, the Thackeray and Shinde factions made their final submissions before the EC, asserting their claim to the party organisation and its poll symbol.

Stressing that the legislative wing of the party is not the original party, Mr Thackeray said if this logic is taken into consideration, then anyone can become the prime minister or chief minister in the country using the power of money.

Mr Thackeray also took a dig at the designation of "chief leader" used by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He said the term "Shiv Sena pramukh (chief)" was used by his father and party founder Bal Thackeray. So after his father's death, Mr Thackeray said he assumed the role of the party chief. There is no post of "chief leader" in Shiv Sena's constitution, he said.

Mr Thackeray said the EC is yet to give its nod to conduct elections in the party. Mr Thackeray's tenure ended on January 23.

Rival Sena factions - Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Shinde-led Balashebanchi Sena - have already been allotted interim poll symbols which could be used in the upcoming by-elections in Maharashtra, EC functionaries had said on Monday, dismissing suggestions that the poll panel could issue an early final order on their dispute.

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