After losing party name-symbol, Thackeray gets calls from Pawar, Nitish

Mumbai, Feb 20 (IANS) Four days after losing the original 'Shiv Sena' name and 'Bow-and-Arrow' symbol, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray had telephonic talks with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the prevalent political situation.

"I have been getting calls from many leaders all over India... Sharad Pawar, Nitish Kumar have called up. They are very concerned about the developments," said Thackeray.

This was the first direct communication between Thackeray-Pawar after the Election Commission of India (ECI) ruling on Friday gave the 'Shiv Sena' name and 'Bow-and-Arrow' symbol to the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Pawar is understood to have conveyed to Thackeray that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) stands solidly behind Thackeray in his fight, party officials said.

Thackeray said that the ECI's 'incorrect verdict' has sparked apprehensions among political parties all over India as such a thing could happen to any of them, and set a precedent to break parties in this manner.

Earlier, the NCP President, presently in Baramati, had made it clear that he would not enter the name-symbol row that plagues the Thackeray side, even as the latter filed a plea in the Supreme Court on Monday challenging and seeking a stay on the ECI decision.

The MVA ally Congress has also thrown its full weight behind the war Thackeray is fighting to regain the name-symbol of the party founded by his father, the late Balasaheb Thackeray.