Kolhapur, Oct 2 (IANS): In an important development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has accorded approval for a social organisation of Yuvraj Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje as a full-fledged political party with a royal touch and allotted a symbol, here on Tuesday.

Yuvraj (Prince) Sambhajiraje, 53, floated the social organisation Swarajya Sangathana on August 9, 2022, which worked with the masses in different areas.

After two years, it has now been registered as a political entity, ‘Maharashtra Swarajya Party’ (MSP), and allotted a symbol of a ‘pen nib with seven rays’, and indicated that it is likely to contest the ensuing Assembly polls.

The Yuvraj – who is the son of Kolhapur Congress Lok Sabha MP Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj – made the announcement today vide social media, to his lakhs of followers, days ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The father-son are the 12th and 13th direct descendants of the legendary Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680).

“With the support of thousands of farmers and workers, (Swarajya Sanghatana) is now officially registered as a political party and has got a symbol ahead of the Assembly elections,” gushed Yuvraj Sambhajiraje.

He exhorted his loyal band of followers that last year they had taken the social organisation door-to-door and now it is their duty to even take the election symbol vigorously to the masses before the polls.

Recently, Yuvraj Sambhajiraje has launched a platform, ‘Parivartan Mahashakti’ which includes MSP, the Prahar Janshakti Party, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, with the likelihood of Maratha leader and Shivba Sanghatana leader Manoj Jarange-Patil joining them.

The Parivartan Mahashakti is expected to lock horns with the ruling MahaYuti alliance of Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT).

“It is certain that the love of the people of Maharashtra, the hard work of party organisation workers and well-wishers, and the need for a new and civilized alternative to the politics of the state will help the MSP candidates win with huge votes in the upcoming assembly elections and bring the power of transformation to power,” said Yuvraj Sambhajiraje optimistically.