Sena Bhavan Will Remain With Uddhav, Next Battleground

The Election Commission’s decision to allot the name and symbol of the Shiv Sena to the faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde will not affect the ownership of ‘Shiv Sena Bhavan,’ the headquarters of the party for decades. The imposing edifice at Dadar in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park locality is associated with the memory of Balasaheb Thackeray. Legally, the structure is owned by a trust and hence is not likely to be covered under the EC verdict. Sena (U) leaders have maintained that all the Shakhas (units) of their party will continue to occupy the offices from which they have been operating for a long time. The issue of Shiv Sena Bhavan’s ownership was a topic for discussion for a while after the Shinde faction formed government in the state. However, it went into oblivion as the CM’s followers announced that they would be finding a separate office for their entity, but in the same vicinity. The search for a suitable office space is now expected to resume. The issue was raised again after the EC’s Friday (Feb 17) decision but the Sena (U) has firmly ruled out any change in the status of Shiv Sena Bhavan, saying it is part of the emotional life of every party worker. Uddhav Thackeray has already made it clear that he will continue to fight. His battle will be conducted from the Sena Bhavan.