Four days after the Election Commission granted Team Eknath Shinde the Shiv Sena name and the bow-and-arrow party symbol, the team will hold its first important meeting today.
Uddhav Thackeray, a rival and former chief minister, will also ask the Supreme Court to overturn the Election Commission’s ruling to give Mr. Shinde’s faction the party name and symbol today.
At this evening’s national executive meeting of the Sena, Mr. Shinde is expected to name new local officials, according to sources.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s faction gathering today is crucial because the chief minister needs to assess his standing and base of support in the face of Mr. Thackeray’s persistent criticism and efforts to win over workers and supporters.
Mr. Thackeray and Mr. Shinde’s efforts to win the support of party members and consolidate party resources are likely to lead to the emergence of additional flashpoints relevant to the Sena name and symbol problem.
While the Supreme Court case is pending, Mr. Thackeray is concentrating on increasing activity at “Shiv Sainik” camps in an effort to maintain the morale of party members who remain faithful to him.
Mr. Thackeray will make new contact with the Shiv Sena’s extensive network of camps in the state to launch a “Shiv Shakti Abhiyan,” or initiative, to support the party’s field representatives. At Mumbai’s Shiv Sena Bhawan yesterday, Mr. Thackeray made this announcement.
A public trust’s office is not allowed to be used for partisan purposes, according to a notice that the Maharashtra government sent to the head of Shivai Trust, which manages the Shiv Sena Bhavan, less than 24 hours later.
“How is it possible to use a public trust’s position for political purposes over a long period of time? Why can’t the directors be suspended or removed if such a use violates the trust’s goals, and why shouldn’t a new administrator be appointed?” In the notification to the Shivai Trust, the Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department stated.
On another plea made by Team Thackeray last year to disqualify 16 Sena MLAs who were a part of the group that rebelled against him in June 2022, the Supreme Court has not yet rendered a decision. Mr. Thackeray described the Election Commission’s ruling as “unfair” in this context.
