Bypolls to 7 Assembly seats in 6 states on November 3

New Delhi, October 3

It is going to be the first major electoral battle between the Shinde and Thackeray factions of the Shiv Sena as the Election Commission today announced byelections to seven Assembly seats in six states, including Maharashtra’s Andheri East, on November 3, which was represented by a Shiv Sena MLA, the late Ramesh Latke. The counting of votes will take place on November 6 and the notification will be issued on October 7.

Fight over symbol

• Both factions of Shiv Sena are vying for the “bow and arrow” symbol

The other six seats, which will go to the polls, include Adampur in Haryana, Mokama and Gopalganj in Bihar, Munugode in Telangana, Gola Gorakhnath in Uttar Pradesh and Dhamnagar in Odisha, the Election Commission announced in a statement. The upcoming contest in Andheri East has generated intense interest as both factions of the Shiv Sena are vying for the “bow and arrow” symbol of the Shiv Sena. The poll panel is currently hearing pleas to decide the “real” Shiv Sena and the allotment of the poll symbol.

The ruling BJP and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde faction have decided to field Murji Patel, a former corporator of the Mumbai civic body, whereas the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray is learnt to have decided on Latke’s wife Rutuja’s name.

The Gola Gorakhnath, Gopalganj and Dhamnagar seats fell vacant following the demise of their respective MLAs. The Mokama seat fell vacant after the sitting MLA was disqualified upon conviction in a case. The Adampur Assembly byelection was necessitated following the resignation of Kuldeep Bishnoi as a Congress MLA.