Battle has begun: Uddhav Thackeray challenges Shiv Sena

Exuding confidence of winning the election with the ‘torch’ symbol, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday challenged Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to contest the election with the “stolen bow and arrow”, stating that the ‘battle has begun’. Shiv Sena (UBT) president Thackeray addressed his supporters on Saturday outside Matoshre. He further said that the thieves were given the holy “bow and arrow” and that this is their test. “Thieves were given the holy ‘bow and arrow’, similarly the ‘torch’ (mashaal) can be taken away. I challenge them – if they are men, come in front of us even with the stolen ‘bow and arrow’, we will contest the election with the ‘torch’. This is our test, the battle has begun,” Thackeray said. Thackeray further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs the mask of Balasaheb Thackeray to come to Maharashtra but the people of the state know which face is real and which is not. “I would like to say that they want the face of Balasahev Thackeray, they want the election symbol but not the family of Shiv Sena. PM Narendra Modi needs the mask of Balasaheb Thackeray to come to Maharashtra. People of the state know which face is real and which is not,” said Thackeray. In a major setback to the Uddhav Thackery faction of Shiv Sena, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday allotted the party name “Shiv Sena” and the symbol “Bow and Arrow” to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.