MUMBAI: With the Election Commission (EC) awarding the Shiv Sena name and bow-and-arrow symbol to the faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde, the upcoming BMC election will be an uphill task for the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
As it faces its first major election after the split, Thackeray’s party will have to spend its energy on establishing its own name and symbol among voters. Political observers say Thackeray’s party, which is already facing defections, may see a second wave of desertions. They warned about the possibility of an exodus of corporators, MLAs and office-bearers, who will now want to be part of the recognised Shiv Sena and not a faction.
Political observers also said that with the name and symbol gone, a battle may break out between the two factions for control of the real estate with the party. The assets include its shakhas and Shiv Sena offices.
Shiv Sena (UBT) functionaries said that since Shiv Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters in Dadar, is owned by the Shivai Trust, the Shinde faction may not be able to stake claim to it. The Shiv Sena network of shakhas spread across the state, though, could witness street fights.
If local office-bearers shift loyalties to Shinde, then the Uddhav faction will lose its shakha network too.
“The immediate impact on the Uddhav faction will be in the BMC polls. Unless the Uddhav faction gets relief from the Supreme Court, the party will have a tough time in the 2014 Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. Several mass leaders and MLAs who are still with the Uddhav Thackeray faction may want to switch to the recognised Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena tag will also help them wipe off the taint of being traitors and betraying the party. For instance, once the Shiv Sena’s official election form is given by the Shinde faction, it is natural that many more aspirants wiill want to fight polls on an official Shiv Sena ticket and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol,” an observer of the party for many years said.
A Shinde faction politician said that if the SC disqualifies the 16 MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction, the Shinde camp can also stake claim on the Sena’s party office in the state legislature.
On Friday, when asked if the Sena Bhavan would also be taken over by the Shinde faction, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Thackeray said that this could only happen during Mughal rule. “How can that be done, is there Mughal rule?” Uddhav said.
Thackeray said that the BMC polls could be announced in the next few days. Political pundits said that if the BMC polls are held in the next few weeks, the Uddhav faction may be left with very little time to get itself a new name and symbol and make its presence felt.
The EC has said that its current name Shiv Sena (UBT) and symbol of mashaal, or flaming torch, can be used by the party till the bypoll for the Kasba and Chinchwad seats scheduled for later this month.
After that the Uddhav faction may have to register itself as a new party and apply for a new name and symbol. They have also announced that they will challenge the EC’s decision in the SC.
The Shinde faction will have to look at recruiting more workers to take on the Uddhav faction in the BMC polls and other elections in the near future. They will also need to make several new appointments to the party and force Uddhav loyalists to either join them or exit.
Political observers said that the symbol does play a crucial role in elections.
“The poll symbol is a very important factor in elections, not just to connect with voters, but it is also a morale force for the candidate. The Shiv Sena has been associated with the bow and arrow for decades. If they lose the symbol and even if it is frozen, it will be a moral victory for the Shinde faction and help the BJP. In the past instances, the symbol has been frozen by the EC and it is likely that this will happen till a final decision on who is the Shiv Sena is arrived at,” a political observer said.
As it faces its first major election after the split, Thackeray’s party will have to spend its energy on establishing its own name and symbol among voters. Political observers say Thackeray’s party, which is already facing defections, may see a second wave of desertions. They warned about the possibility of an exodus of corporators, MLAs and office-bearers, who will now want to be part of the recognised Shiv Sena and not a faction.
Political observers also said that with the name and symbol gone, a battle may break out between the two factions for control of the real estate with the party. The assets include its shakhas and Shiv Sena offices.
Shiv Sena (UBT) functionaries said that since Shiv Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters in Dadar, is owned by the Shivai Trust, the Shinde faction may not be able to stake claim to it. The Shiv Sena network of shakhas spread across the state, though, could witness street fights.
If local office-bearers shift loyalties to Shinde, then the Uddhav faction will lose its shakha network too.
“The immediate impact on the Uddhav faction will be in the BMC polls. Unless the Uddhav faction gets relief from the Supreme Court, the party will have a tough time in the 2014 Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. Several mass leaders and MLAs who are still with the Uddhav Thackeray faction may want to switch to the recognised Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena tag will also help them wipe off the taint of being traitors and betraying the party. For instance, once the Shiv Sena’s official election form is given by the Shinde faction, it is natural that many more aspirants wiill want to fight polls on an official Shiv Sena ticket and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol,” an observer of the party for many years said.
A Shinde faction politician said that if the SC disqualifies the 16 MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction, the Shinde camp can also stake claim on the Sena’s party office in the state legislature.
On Friday, when asked if the Sena Bhavan would also be taken over by the Shinde faction, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Thackeray said that this could only happen during Mughal rule. “How can that be done, is there Mughal rule?” Uddhav said.
Thackeray said that the BMC polls could be announced in the next few days. Political pundits said that if the BMC polls are held in the next few weeks, the Uddhav faction may be left with very little time to get itself a new name and symbol and make its presence felt.
The EC has said that its current name Shiv Sena (UBT) and symbol of mashaal, or flaming torch, can be used by the party till the bypoll for the Kasba and Chinchwad seats scheduled for later this month.
After that the Uddhav faction may have to register itself as a new party and apply for a new name and symbol. They have also announced that they will challenge the EC’s decision in the SC.
The Shinde faction will have to look at recruiting more workers to take on the Uddhav faction in the BMC polls and other elections in the near future. They will also need to make several new appointments to the party and force Uddhav loyalists to either join them or exit.
Political observers said that the symbol does play a crucial role in elections.
“The poll symbol is a very important factor in elections, not just to connect with voters, but it is also a morale force for the candidate. The Shiv Sena has been associated with the bow and arrow for decades. If they lose the symbol and even if it is frozen, it will be a moral victory for the Shinde faction and help the BJP. In the past instances, the symbol has been frozen by the EC and it is likely that this will happen till a final decision on who is the Shiv Sena is arrived at,” a political observer said.
