“Indira Gandhi faced this situation...take a new symbol, people would accept”: Sharad Pawar tells Uddhav

The chief architect of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder, Sharad Pawar said that the loss of the “bow and arrow” symbol of his ally Uddhav Thackeray would not have any major impact. He suggested Uddhav Thackeray to take a new symbol.

Saying that “people would accept new symbol” Pawar added, “It’s the decision of the Election Commission. Once a decision is given, there can be no discussion. Accept it and take a new symbol. It (the loss of the old symbol) is not going to have any major impact as people will accept (the new symbol). It just would remain in the discussion for the next 15-30 days, that’s it.”

Pawar’s remarks came after Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered that the party name “Shiv Sena” and the party symbol “bow and arrow” will be given to the Eknath Shinde faction.

Recalling how former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi lost Congress symbol Pawar expressed hope, “People would accept the new symbol of Uddhav Thackeray faction like the way they accepted the Congress' new symbol.”

“I remember Indira Gandhi also faced this situation. Congress used to have a ‘two bullocks with a yoke’ symbol. Later, they lost it and adopted 'hand' as a new symbol and people accepted it. Similarly, people will accept the new symbol (of Uddhav Thackeray faction),” said Pawar.  

In a major setback to the Uddhav Thackery faction of Shiv Sena, the ECI on Friday allotted the party name “Shiv Sena” and the symbol “bow and arrow” to Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde led faction.

While the Shinde faction welcomed the decision of being recognised as the real Shiv Sena, the Uddhav Thackeray faction termed the ECI decision as the “murder of democracy”and said they will move the Supreme Court. The Uddhav Thackeray faction accused the ECI of “working as BJP agent”.

The Commission observed in its order that the current constitution of the Shiv Sena party is undemocratic and has been “mutilated to undemocratically appoint people from a coterie as office bearers without any election at all...Such party structures fail to inspire confidence”.