Sena name, symbol row: Shinde camp, BJP hit back at Sanjay Raut over his Rs 2,000 cr deal remark

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed a "deal of Rs 2000 crore" has taken place so far to "purchase" the Shiv Sena party name and its 'bow and arrow' symbol, two days after the Election Commission allotted them to the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Legislator Sada Sarvankar from the camp led by Shinde dismissed the claim and asked, "Is Sanjay Raut a cashier?" Maharashtra minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhir Mungantiwar also hit back at Raut saying such baseless comments were an attempt to malign independent institutions like the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India.

Raut in a tweet claimed the Rs 2,000 crore was a preliminary figure, and that this was 100 per cent true.

He also told reporters that a builder close to the ruling dispensation shared this information with him.

The Rajya Sabha member said his claim was backed by proof which he would disclose soon.

The Election Commission on Friday recognised the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena and ordered allocation of the 'bow and arrow' poll symbol to it.