"2.5 years of MVA govt was waste," Fadnavis attacks Uddhav Thackeray

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 18 (ANI): A day after the Election Commission allotted the party name "Shiv Sena" and "bow and arrow" symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday attacked Uddhav Thackeray saying the tenure of Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state was a "waste".
Speaking at an event in Pune, Fadnavis said, "The 2.5 years of MVA government was a waste. We now have 2.5 years left with us, and we have to do a lot of work. Our 'double horsepower' government will work with all its strength under the leadership of PM Modi."
Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Fadnavis said, "Rahul Gandhi went to Kashmir and hoisted the Tricolour. He could not do this during the Congress regime because this became possible only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah scrapped Article 370."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah who was also present in the event said the Election Commission established the fact that truth always prevails.
Shah said, "Yesterday the Election Commission made 'doodh ka doodh, aur paani ka paani' (established the difference between truth and lie yesterday). The formula of 'Satyameva Jayate' became significant yesterday. Shinde ji got bow and arrow symbol and the party name 'Shiv Sena'."
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.
Notably, both factions of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray) have been fighting for the bow and arrow symbol of the party since Shinde (present Maharashtra Chief Minister) revolted against Thackeray last year.
While the Shinde faction welcomed the decision to be recognized as the real Shiv Sena, the Uddhav Thackeray faction said they would move the Supreme Court.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction accused the Election Commission of haste and said the decision shows "it works as BJP agent".
The Commission observed in its order that the current constitution of the Shiv Sena party is undemocratic and has been "mutilated to undemocratically appoint people from a coterie as office bearers without any election at all". It said such party structures fail to inspire confidence.
Calling the poll panel's decision as "murder of democracy", Uddhav Thackeray said he will approach the Supreme Court against the decision.
Last month, both the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former CM Uddhav Thackeray-led factions of the Shiv Sena submitted their written statements in support of their claims of control over the party name and symbol to the Election Commission.
The ECI had frozen the bow and arrow symbol of the Shiv Sena and had allotted the 'Two Swords and Shield symbol' to the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and the 'flaming torch' (mashaal) election symbol was allotted to the Uddhav Thackeray faction for the bypoll in Andheri East assembly constituency in November last year. (ANI)