Mumbai, Feb. Feb 18 (IANS): A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) awarded the original 'Shiv Sena' name and 'Bow-and-Arrow' symbol to the breakaway faction, several of its leaders adopted the new identity on their social media profiles on Saturday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, several of his Ministers like Shambhuraj Desai, Uday Samant, Deepak Kesarkar, Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar and many MPs and MLAs have now switched over to the new name-symbol on their social media accounts.

The ECI on Friday allotted the name-symbol to the Shinde faction, which was earlier given the name of 'Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena' and had a symbol of 'Two Swords and Shield', sparking a political furore in the state.

Strongly protesting at the ECI verdict, the Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that it would challenge the decision in the court, and was backed by its ally, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Prakash Ambedkar.

The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have also flayed the ECI's move in very strong words, terming it as "hasty, unexpected, injustice, amounts to death of democracy".

The Sena (UBT) will be permitted to useAits present name-symbol -- allotted in October 2022 -- only till the Pune by-elections are completed on February 26, as per the ECI order.