Politicos hitching 'bicycle' ride to LS

Cars and aeroplanes are dearer, but bicycles are dime a dozen. The poor man's wheels happen to be the most popular symbol among political parties in their run for Parliament.

Cars and aeroplanes are dearer, but bicycles are dime a dozen. The poor man's wheels happen to be the most popular symbol among political parties in their run for Parliament.

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There are at least five prominent parties spread across the country that are using the cheapest two-wheeler as their election symbol in this elections.

The Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala Congress, Manipur Peoples Party and J&K's National Panthers Party are among those who have bet on bicycle, although there are others who have chosen extravagant symbols - 'bungalow' (Lok Janshakti Party), 'car' (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) and aeroplane (Goa Front).

The erstwhile Tamil Maanila Congress of late G K Moopanar in Tamil Nadu had embraced the bicycle as its election symbol to take on the AIADMK in the state in the late 90s. The party has since been merged with the 'hand' that fed it - Indian National Congress.

However, no national party has been allotted the bicycle symbol by the Election Commission.

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