Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has allotted poll symbols to registered unrecognised political parties ahead of the Assembly election.
Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and Maratha organisation Sambhaji Brigade have been allotted gas cylinder and sewing machine as symbols respectively.
The Maharashtra Kranti Sena (MKS), which was established in the wake of Maratha reservation protests, has been allotted diamond as a poll symbol.
The outfit had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance before Loksabha election in April 2019.
Besides, Sarvajan Sewa Party and Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI) have been allocated bicycle pump and cart for Assembly elections respectively.
According to a letter sent to the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra, the apex poll body has accepted the applications of registered unrecognised political parties for concessions in allotment of common symbol for candidates ahead of the Assembly election in Maharashtra under the provisions of Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968.
An official said, “The symbols, which were allotted to these parties, could be provided as free symbol to other candidates in the constituencies where these parties does not have its candidates.”
Meanwhile, the election commission has also allotted a common symbol ‘Ganna Kisan’ to Hum Bhartiya Party, which is likely to contest Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir. Maharashtra and Jharkhand — along with Haryana — are expected to go to polls in October 2019.
