Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday welcomed the Election Commission of India's decision to grant his faction of the Shiv Sena the 'two swords and a shield' symbol, saying it was associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and also the old Sena.?

Their first choice was `the sun', Shinde told reporters here. "Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena is the Shiv Sena of the common man. We accept this decision of the EC.

We had given priority to the 'sun' symbol, but it approved swords and shield. This is the symbol of the old Shiv Sena...This is a Maharashtrian symbol. It is the symbol of Chhatrapati Shivaji and his mavalas (soldiers),” he added.

Two swords and a shield was one of the symbols the Shiv Sena, founded by Bal Thackeray, used in the 1967-68 civic polls in Mumbai and elsewhere.

The Shinde faction, now named as 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena', will be able to use the new symbol in the November 3 Andheri East Assembly bypoll if it decided to contest the election, though its ally BJP is likely to field its own candidate against the Uddhav Thackeray faction's nominee.

The rival Sena faction led by ?Thackeray has been granted `Flaming Torch' as its symbol after the EC held last week that the two groups would not be able to use the Sena's `Bow and Arrow' symbol following the split.

The Shinde group had proposed 'peepal tree', 'sword and shield' and 'sun' as its choices. Shinde faction spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre said the new symbol was a "blessing of Chhatrapati Shivaji" and ?will defeat "evil powers."?

(With PTI Inputs)