The Janata Dal (U), which has lost its election symbol of “arrow” in Jharkhand and Maharashtra on a petition by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), would most likely fight the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand on a “farmer driving a tractor” symbol, party officials said in Jamshedpur on Tuesday.
“I had a talk with party chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on the issues of an alternate election symbol, his visit to Ranchi and permission to me for filing a petition with Election Commission of India (ECI) challenging JMM’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol. I was given to understand that a proposal for ‘farmer-driving-tractor’ as an alternate symbol for the party has been filed with ECI today,” said Salkhan Mumru, Jharkhand JD-U president.
The ECI had rejected JD-U’s plea to allow it to fight elections in Jharkhand on ‘arrow’ symbol after hearing a petition by JMM, which contended that ‘bow and arrow’ has been their election symbol from the beginning and if JD-U was allowed to contest state poll on ‘arrow’, it would confuse their voters.
Mumru said he would file a petition with the ECI in a day or two challenging JMM’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol. “Bow and Arrow is a traditional weapon of tribals and inherently a symbol of its social, cultural and religious identity. My contention to the ECI is how there could be free and fair elections held if JMM is allowed to contest on ‘bow and arrow’ to exploit the sentiments and emotions of innocent and gullible tribals,” Murmu argued.
{{/usCountry}}Mumru said he would file a petition with the ECI in a day or two challenging JMM’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol. “Bow and Arrow is a traditional weapon of tribals and inherently a symbol of its social, cultural and religious identity. My contention to the ECI is how there could be free and fair elections held if JMM is allowed to contest on ‘bow and arrow’ to exploit the sentiments and emotions of innocent and gullible tribals,” Murmu argued.
{{/usCountry}}According to Murmu, Nitish Kumar will now come to Ranchi on September 7 and hold a party workers’ conclave. “We will also hold a mega rally in Ranchi within one month of this workers’ meeting,” he said.