The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday withdrew its candidate for the Andheri East bypoll, ensuring a big win for Thackeray Sena’s Rutuja Latke. However, the move has caused the Thackeray Sena a massive loss of the parent party’s name and symbol that appeared to be a significant gain for the ruling parties in the election process that was necessitated by the death of the unified Sena’s MLA Ramesh Latke in May.

Before a dramatic twist on Sunday and Monday, the Andheri case had turned out to be very different and was set to be a very close battle. The Shinde Sena projected as if it was prepared to enter the electoral field against the Thackeray Sena. It urged the Election Commission of India to prevent the misuse of the parent party’s symbol and name while the factions have been fighting a legal battle for the control of the party. The EC froze the symbol—bow and arrow—and asked the factions to pick new names and symbols. The decision has been resented by the Thackeray Sena. Later, instead of the ally, the BJP set up its candidate against the deceased legislator’s widow Rutuja Latke, who had to approach the High Court to get her resignation approved by her employer, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.