Former MLA Krishna Hegde joins Eknath Shinde faction

The Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), received a setback when former MLA Krishna Hegde joined the Eknath Shinde faction on Monday.

A development has occurred weeks after Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar recently joined the Eknath Shinde camp. On June 30, Eknath Shinde took the oath of office as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

This occurred after a Shiv Sena group led by Shinde switched its affiliation from the MVA to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since then, Maharashtra has been the scene of a power struggle between the two Sena factions over who will truly carry on Bal Thackeray’s legacy.

The Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena received the “Two Swords and Shield Symbol” from the Election Commission of India on October 11, one day after receiving the name “Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena” (Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena) for the party division.

For the approaching byelection in the Andheri East assembly constituency next month, the Shinde group had offered the Election Commission (EC) the “shining sun,” “shield and sword,” and “Peepul tree” as potential symbols for its election emblem.

While the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction was denied the “Trishul” due to its association with religion, the “flaming torch” (mashaal) was chosen as the party’s election symbol.

The Thackeray faction’s party name was given by the Election Commission as “Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray.”

The ECI, meanwhile, rejected the “Trishul” and “Gada” (mace) election symbols proposed by the two Shiv Sena factions because of their religious connotations.