Uddhav holds meeting with his camp leaders at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Mumbai

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday held an urgent meeting with his close associates at the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Mumbai to decide their future course of action, specially after losing the ‘Shiv Sena’ name and poll symbol ‘bow and arrow’ to the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Leaders close to Thackeray, including Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, Subhash Desai, Anil Desai and Anil Parab, were present in the meeting held at the Sena Bhavan located in Dadar area.

Thackeray has also invited several district level leaders of his camp to discuss the future course of action.

The Election Commission on Friday recognised the Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordered allocation of the ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol to it, in the process delivering a big blow to Uddhav Thackeray, whose father Bal Thackeray founded the outfit in 1966.

The EC allowed the Thackeray faction to retain the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the flaming torch’ poll symbol, given to it in an interim order in October last year, till the conclusion of the upcoming Assembly bypolls in the state.

Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Sunday said all political parties need to open their eyes and remain cautious in the wake of the Election Commission’s decision of recognising the faction led by CM Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena.