In an application written to the Election Commission (EC), the Eknath Shinde faction stated that the Uddhav Thackeray group is missing the Shiv Sena symbol of a bow and arrow, requesting the EC to take an immediate decision on the symbol issues in view of the November 3 Andheri (East) assembly bypolls.

After Shinde and the BJP unseated the MVA government in June, this is the first election and is being viewed as a precursor to settling of claims by Shinde and Thackeray to be the “real Shiv Sena”.

The Shinde camp cited the September 27 order of the Supreme Court on the plea for a stay by Uddhav Thackeray’s camp.

The letter of Shinde camp read, "The symbol in the present dispute is necessary for the aforementioned upcoming bye-election in the State of Maharashtra and the Petitioner apprehends that despite not having the requisite support within the SSPP, the faction led by respondent will illegally and unlawfully make an attempt to field a candidate and claim the allotted symbol of SSPP."

"We pray that you urgently hear, dispose the petition and allot the symbol of Shiv Sena party of 'bow and arrow' to the Shinde faction at the earliest," the letter read.

The Shinde faction also claimed that it also enjoys the overwhelming support of Sena leaders, deputy leaders, state sampark pramukhs, zilla sampark pramukhs, rajya pramukhs, secretaries, zilla pramukhs and the party’s elected members in the state legislature and Parliament as well as mayors and presidents of zilla parishads.

Further, the Uddhav faction does not have any prima facie in his favour, which is clear from the fact that till date, their faction did not file even a single document showing support from any member of Shiv Sena.