Telangana elections: Cauliflower, ladyfinger, matchbox among poll symbols

As the Telangana Assembly elections approach closer, parties are using all the tricks up their sleeves to attract voters. Interestingly, several aspirants in the state are contesting the elections using symbols which include vegetables, musical instruments, sportspersons, animals, and other household items, according to a report published in The Times of India (ToI).

Before they cast their vote, voters in Telangana will need to carefully check these symbols, which read like a shopping list more than election symbols. For instance, Kolukuri Srinivas Reddy, a candidate contesting from Rajendranagar constituency as an independent, has cauliflower as his election symbol, the report said. Reddy told ToI, "I asked for the symbol as I felt it could be of use to campaign and easy to let people know what my symbol is."

All independent candidates are allowed to select a symbol for elections from the list of free symbols. While recognised parties and registered parties get common symbols. The EC may permit a political party to have a common symbol if it is contesting in multiple constituencies.

Notably, BRS had raised objections to the allotment of "road roller" and "chapati roller" symbols, but both of them have been given to candidates contesting in Telangana. BRS' poll symbol is a car and it did not want voters to confuse its symbol with other car-like symbols.

Other election symbols that will appear on electronic voting machines on November 30 in Telangana are camera, lion, flute, carrom board, matchbox, football, air conditioner, ring, Ship, harmonium, coconut farm, doli, tumbler, cake, sewing machine, pen nib with seven rays, gas cylinder, and television.

The Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar, held a press conference on October 9 to announce the election schedule for the five poll-bound states: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, and Telangana.

The elections in Telangana will be held on November 30, and the results will be declared on December 3. The Telangana Assembly has 119 seats, and a party needs to win at least 60 to gain a majority.