Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS) In a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Centre, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday alleged that allocating the original ‘Bow and Arrow’ symbol to the rival faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, was a multi-hundred crore scam.

Speaking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP accused the Election Commission of operating under political pressure and acting as a tool for the ruling NDA regime at the Centre.

Raut claimed the Election Commission has functioned like a “domestic servant” of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the past 10–12 years, compromising its constitutional independence. He alleged that under political pressure, the Election Commission failed to deliver justice to the original Shiv Sena founded by Balasaheb Thackeray.

Raut emphasised that the soul of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution is to preserve the identity of the original political party—a spirit he claimed was completely ignored in this decision.

Raut made scathing remarks against both serving and former Election Commissioners, accusing them of surrendering their autonomy to Home Minister Shah.

Drawing parallels outside Maharashtra, Raut pointed out that similar tactics to trigger splits and undermine regional parties are being attempted elsewhere, such as in West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress.

The statement adds fresh momentum to the ongoing political war of words in Maharashtra between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the ruling coalition.

Raut’s move to target the poll panel comes a day after the Election Commission issued an interim order on Thursday freezing the official name ‘Trinamool Congress’ and its iconic ‘Joda Ghash Phool (Twin Flowers in Grass)’ election symbol. This decision follows claims staked by two rival factions within the party ahead of the forthcoming Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.

According to the Election Commission, neither group can use the ‘Trinamool Congress’ party name or its official symbol for the upcoming October 6 bypolls until a final decision is made.

Both factions were directed to submit their newly-chosen temporary party names and preferred free symbols to the Election Commission.

The Mamata Banerjee-led faction criticised the order as unconstitutional but indicated it would comply with procedural steps while pursuing further legal remedies, while representatives from the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction welcomed the poll panel’s decision.

–IANS

sj/rad