The Shiv Sena rebel faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s order as the “victory of democracy”.
Welcoming the SC’s ruling that the Election Commission will continue to hear the plea of the Shinde faction seeking the poll symbol of Shiv Sena, its spokesperson Naresh Mhaske said, “the rights of the EC and its powers have remained intact due to the decision of the apex court”.
Kalyan MP and CM Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde hailed the ruling as the victory of democracy. “I hope they (Uddhav Thackeray camp) will learn a lesson. They will also realise which is the real Shiv Sena of Bal Thackeray,” he added.
Mhaske said 40 MLAs of Shiv Sena and 12 of the 18 MPs are with the Shinde group, besides more than 80% of the district chiefs, corporators and councilors in Maharashtra.
