'Let the thieves rejoice for few days': Angry Uddhav Thackeray lashes out at EC, PM Modi | Top 10 points

Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission while addressing his supporters on Sunday.

This comes after Election Commission said that team Eknath Shinde can keep the name "Shiv Sena" and the "bow and arrow" symbol, while the rival Uddhav Thackeray faction can keep the name "Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray" and the "flaming torch" symbol.

"Such a blow has not happened to any party in the last 75 years. If the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi think that they can end us by leaving their enslaved government machinery to us, then it is not possible to end Shiv Sena," Uddhav said.

“The PM thinks he can finish Shiv Sena, but Shiv Sena will never be finished. I want to say this to his servants in government- people will decide who Sena belongs to,” he added.

Top 10 developments here:

• Uddhav Thackeray criticised the election tribunal for choosing to give the Eknath Shinde faction the Shiv Sena name and "bow and arrow" election emblem.
• “The Election Commission did slavery yesterday. An election commissioner can become the governor of a state after retirement because a judge has just become the governor. He (PM Modi) has kept such slaves around him, ” Thackeray said.
• Uddhav Thackeray stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must "assume Balasaheb Thackeray's mask" in order to visit Maharashtra.
• ''The thief wants the Thackeray name, Balasaheb's photo, but not the Shiv Sena family," he said, in a veiled jibe at Eknath Shinde.
• He posed a direct challenge to the camp led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Uddhav Thackeray said, “Thieves were given the holy 'bow and arrow', similarly the 'torch' (mashaal) can be taken away. I challenge them - if they're men, come in front of us even with the stolen 'bow and arrow', we'll contest the election with the 'torch'. This is our test, the battle has begun”
• The Thackeray-led faction was given the "flaming torch" symbol by the poll panel last year.
• The former Maharashtra chief minister has urged his supporters and party leaders to begin campaigning. Significantly, the EC ruling came at a time when elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation have been delayed for a long period.
• 'We should not rest till we teach the thief a lesson in elections. Start preparing for elections immediately," said Uddhav Thackeray.
• As a show of strength, Udhhav Thackeray's followers had congregated in large numbers outside 'Matoshree,' his Bandra residence. The former Maharashtra chief minister instructed his supporters to travel to every street in the state and inform residents that their "poll symbol" had been stolen.
• The Supreme Court is yet to rule on Team Thackeray's motion to remove 16 Sena MLAs who turned against him last year. Team Thackeray has stated that they will appeal the Election Commission's judgment to the Supreme Court.

Also Read: 'Will surely go to SC,' says Uddhav Thackeray after Shiv Sena name, symbol goes to Eknath Shinde