Mumbai: The Election Commission has banned the use of Shiv Sena's name and symbol till further orders. This means that no one in the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions will be able to use this symbol for the time being. In fact, the ECI has asked both parties to give their preference out of free symbols in the Andheri by-election. Yes, the Commission has given so much freedom to both groups that if they want, they can use the word army with their new name. However, now after this decision of the Election Commission, the statement of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar has also come to the fore.

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In fact, he said, 'I am not surprised at all by this decision. I don't have evidence to prove that this is being done intentionally, but I was already apprehensive about it.' Talking further with this, Pawar said, 'We do not know who is taking decisions these days. No matter how strong a party is, we cannot predict that (Shiv Sena) will be able to fight with its own symbol. So we have to be ready to face any situation. Shiv Sena will have to enter the elections with a new symbol. Apart from this, they have no option.'

Apart from this, the former Chief Minister also said that 'I too have fought elections with different symbols before. Like a pair of bullocks, a calf's mark, a spinning wheel, a paw and a watch. It doesn't matter which symbol you contest. It is up to the people to decide who they support. Shiv Sena will not end. Rather, it will infuse aggression and enthusiasm among the youth workers of the party. The freezing of the symbol will not have any effect on the Andheri bypoll as the NCP and Congress have extended support to the Shiv Sena candidate of Uddhav Thackeray.'

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