Shiv Sena chief picks 3 names denoting family generations and as many symbols, seeks early allotment
Poll symbol freeze
Mumbai, Oct 9: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday asked the Election Commission to finalise one of three symbols- a trident, burning torch, and rising Sun- submitted by his camp and a name without delay ahead of the bypoll to the Andheri (East) assembly segment.
In a virtual address, Thackeray said his camp has submitted three names- "Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena Balasaheb Prabodhankar Thackeray, and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray" to the EC and expects it to allot one of them.
A day earlier, the poll body froze Shiv Sena's 'bow and arrow' poll symbol and also barred the factions led by Thackeray and Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde from using the party name in the November 3 bypoll.
Prabodhankar Thackeray, a social reformer and one of the stalwarts of the "Samyukta Maharashtra" movement in 1950s, is the late grandfather of Uddhav Thackeray and Bal Thackeray his father.
Thackeray said his faction has also submitted to the EC three options- a rising Sun, a burning torch (mashaal), and a trident- and expects it to allot one of them as the poll symbol for the byelection.
The bypoll is expected to be a straight fight between the Thackeray faction and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a first after the vertical split in Shiv Sena in June this year.
In a YouTube live, Thackeray tore into CM Shinde's camp and also took swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"I appeal to the ECI to finalise a symbol and name for my party at the earliest because we have to go to the people and face the bye-election. I was shocked by the decision of the ECI, but my confidence is not shaken and also my faith in Sena supporters," he added.
He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) always targets Congress over former prime minister Indira Gandhi's decision to invoke the Emergency.
"However, neither Indira Gandhi tried to finish off Shiv Sena nor any other Congress-led government took such extreme steps against Shiv Sena," he said.
The Sena chief said the 40 rebels, who are enjoying plum posts with the support of the BJP, will be dumped like an "empty beverage bottle" once their utility is over.
"Nobody keeps the empty bottle at home once the beverage is consumed completely," he added.
"The traitors first took my chair by cheating and also tried to appropriate Shiv Sena and the legacy. Now they ensured that the symbol (bow and arrow) is frozen," Thackeray added.
The former chief minister said he tolerated these acts but it is too much for him now.
"Such acts of these people can be equated with a person stabbing his own mother. These are heartless people who are trying to finish the very political party that gave them so much space, posts and image," he added.
The Sena chief said he was waiting for the right opportunity to strike back.
"I will give my best against them. They (Shinde camp) should realise that their utility is now almost over with the ECI freezing the election symbol of Shiv Sena. Now, they are left with very little time in their hand," he said.
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Matrize Exit Poll predicts Congress sweeping Haryana with whopping majority
BJP set to win only 18-24 seats
New Delhi: As the polling has ended in Haryana’s 90 Assembly constituencies today, the Matrize Exit Poll has projected a challenging outcome for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), predicting it to win between 18-24 seats. The Congress is expected to make a comeback with 55-62 seats, while the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is likely to be limited to 3-6 seats. The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) is likely to secure around 3 seats, and other parties are expected to win between 2-5 seats.
As of 5 pm, voter turnout stood at 61%, indicating a keenly contested election. The BJP, which aims to secure a third consecutive term in the state, is facing a tough battle as the Congress seeks to regain power after being out of office for nearly a decade.
In the previous assembly elections, exit polls had projected varying outcomes. India Today had predicted 38 seats for the BJP and 36 for Congress, while ABP-C Voter projected a landslide with 72 seats for the BJP and 8 for Congress. News 18-IPSOS estimated a BJP victory with 75 seats and 10 for Congress. However, the final results led to a hung Assembly, with no party securing a majority. The BJP eventually formed the government with the support of the JJP and several Independent MLAs.
This time, with exit polls indicating a possible shift in voter preference, all eyes are on the final results to see if Congress can indeed stage a comeback or if BJP will retain its hold in the state.
