Trishul or Rising Sun

New Delhi: The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena has given a list of three names and symbols for the upcoming byelection in Mumbai's Andheri East.

'Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray' is the first choice for the name, 'Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray' is the second pick, and 'Shiv Sena Balasaheb Prabodhankar Thackeray' the third, sources in the Election Commission said.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction has also listed trishul (trident), rising sun, and mashaal (torch) as the options for party symbol, party leader Arvind Sawant said. Shiv Sena got its fixed symbol -- bow and arrow -- in 1989, before which they contested elections on different symbols like sword and shield, coconut tree, railway engine, and cup and plate.

The Election Commission had on Saturday frozen the Shiv Sena name and its 'bow and arrow' symbol following dispute between the warring factions, led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, and asked both of them to give a list of three names and symbols out of which ECI will allot one to each.

The poll body's intervention comes months after an open rebellion in the Shiv Sena by Eknath Shinde and his loyalists, who joined hands with the BJP to form a new government with Shinde as the Chief Minister. The rebels have been staking claim over the party, saying the Thackeray camp is a minority without popular support in the party.

As per the poll body's interim order, both groups will now have to choose new names. They shall be allotted different symbols, which they may choose from the list of free symbols available.

The Commission had earlier asked the rival groups to submit documentary proof on legislative and organisational support to back their claims.