Election Commission's decision is murder of democracy, says Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. Pic/PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said the Election Commission of India's decision to recognize the Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena was a "murder of democracy."

His party will "go to the people," he said.

The poll panel's decision was on the expected lines and he did not have faith in the ECI, Raut added.

The ECI earlier on Friday also ordered allocation of the "bow and arrow" poll symbol to Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde's group.

In a 78-page order on the protracted battle for control of the organisation, the Commission allowed the Uddhav Thackeray faction to keep the "flaming torch" poll symbol allocated to it till the completion of the assembly bypolls in the state.

Also read: Maharashtra politicians react as Shiv Sena name, symbol goes to Shinde faction

Reacting to the Election Commission's decision to recognise Eknath Shinde faction as real Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Chief Minister said that it is a "victory of Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology".

Anand Dubey, Uddhav Thackeray faction spokesperson, said that they have been saying that they do not trust Election Commission.

"The order is what we had suspected. We had been saying that we don't trust the EC. When matter is sub-judice before SC & no final decision has been taken, this haste by EC shows it works as a BJP agent under Central Govt. We condemn this," ANI quoted Anand Dubey as saying.

(Compiled with inputs from agencies -- PTI and ANI)