Updated on: 20 February 2023 04:32 PM IST | Mumbai
S S Nadar : Editor | news@debotimes.in

As the Sena vs Sena fight continues, here's a quick recap of the Uddhav Thackeray vs Eknath Shinde battle for the Shiv Sena name, its poll symbol, and Bal Thackeray's legacy.
Has the tussle over the ‘real’ Shiv Sena really ended after the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol and the name ‘Shiv Sena’ to team Eknath Shinde? The reactions from the former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena camp show a different picture. The Uddhav faction has filed a petition against the EC order and, as per sources, they are trying to complete the process for urgent mentioning.

Earlier on Saturday, Uddhav asked his supporters to teach a lesson to the "thief" who stole the party's bow and arrow symbol. The supporters, protesting against the order, accused the EC of acting at the behest of the Narendra Modi government. Eknath Shinde has also claimed Shiv Sena party assembly office in Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan.
As the fight continues, here's a quick recap on the Thackeray-Shinde battle for the Shiv Sena, founded by Bal Thackeray in 1966.

HOW DID THE FIGHT START

Two Shiv Sena factions emerged when Eknath Shinde, a cabinet minister in the Uddhav-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (Sena-NCP-Congress) government, rebelled against the party leadership in June last year.
Shinde and some 40 Sena MLAs along with 10 others first dashed to Gujarat by road. From there, they flew in a chartered flight to Assam. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who had the backing of only 15 odd MLAs, resigned shortly after.
BJP-SHINDE GOVERNMENT

Eknath Shinde returned to Mumbai from Assam with the rebel MLAs and, after days of high drama, took oath as the new chief minister of Maharashtra with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

While it was speculated that Devendra Fadnavis would return as the Maharashtra CM of the BJP-Shinde Sena alliance, in an unexpected turn of events, he announced that Eknath Shinde would be the next CM.

On July 4, Eknath Shinde won the crucial floor test in the state Assembly with 164 votes polled in favour of him.

BATTLE FOR SENA

The Uddhav and Shinde factions then staked their claim over the party name, the election symbol and the legacy of Bal Thackeray.

The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court. Uddhav Thackeray blamed Eknath Shinde and the BJP for engineering a coup and challenged them to face a fresh election. Both factions claimed they represented the "real Shiv Sena".
Later in October, the Election Commission froze the bow and arrow symbol of Shiv Sena. For the Andheri (East) Assembly bypoll, held a month later, Uddhav Thackeray's faction was alloted flaming torch (mashal) and the name Shiv Sena — Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray.

Team Shinde received the name Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and two swords-and-shield symbol.

BIG ELECTION COMMISSION ORDER

Although the Supreme Court is yet to give its verdict on a request by the Uddhav faction to disqualify 16 Sena MLAs among the ones who revolted against him last year, the Election Commission allowed Team Shinde to use the party name and symbol.

In a unanimous order on the six-month-old petition filed by Shinde, the three-member Commission said it had relied on the numerical strength of the party in the legislative wing, where the chief minister enjoyed the support of 40 of the 55 MLAs and 13 of the 18 Lok Sabha members.
Shinde described the EC verdict as a "victory of truth and people as well as blessings of Balasaheb Thackeray". At the same time, a furious Uddhav Thackeray, the former Maharashtra chief minister, said he would approach the Supreme Court against the EC order. The war of words has continued since.

The Thackeray faction was allowed to retain the name Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the flaming torch poll symbol.

This is the first time that the Thackeray family has lost control of the party, but the battle for the 'real Shiv Sena' is far from over.