Mumbai, Apr 28 (IANS): BJP legislator Nitesh N. Rane on Friday warned the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) to refrain from using the name 'Shiv Sena' which has been allotted to the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Nitesh, son of Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane, said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has given the 'Shiv Sena' name and its 'Bow-and-Arrow' symbol to Shinde.

"It officially belongs to them (Shinde faction) and nobody has the legal right to use the name of another. The other side led by Uddhav Thackeray must identify themselves clearly as 'Shiv Sena (UBT)' to avoid any confusions," Nitesh Rane said while addressing mediapersons.

He further claimed that many Sena (UBT) leaders and even sections of the media continue to address their party as only as 'Shiv Sena' which is wrong and goes against the ECI's award last October on the two parties which split after the political upheavals in June 2022.

Nitesh Rane said he would soon raise the matter with the Shinde Shiv Sena leaders, the BJP and others concerned to ensure their party name is not misused in any manner.

He also slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi, especially his bete-noire, Uddhav Thackeray, for proving to be an ill-omen to the opposition alliance comprising Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.