EC decision is murder of democracy: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said the Election Commission of India's decision to recognize the Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena was a "murder of democracy." His party will "go to the people," he said. The poll panel's decision was on the expected lines and he did not have faith in the ECI, Raut added. The ECI earlier on Friday also ordered allocation of the "bow and arrow" poll symbol to Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde's group. In a 78-page order on the protracted battle for control of the organisation, the Commission allowed the Uddhav Thackeray faction to keep the "flaming torch" poll symbol allocated to it till the completion of the assembly bypolls in the state.