Maharashtra NCP Sharad Pawar chief Jayant Patil has claimed that the similarity between the name of his party’s poll symbol and that of an independent candidate caused confusion among voters, leading to the defeat of his party’s nominee in the Satara Lok Sabha seat. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday in Mumbai, Patil said it seemed symbols with similar names were allotted to independent candidates deliberately for the division of votes and his party will raise this issue with the Election Commission of India.
The ECI had allotted “man blowing turha”, a traditional trumpet, as the poll symbol to the NCP (SP), after a split in the Nationalist Congress Party founded by Sharad Pawar. Before the polls, the NCP (SP) had filed a complaint with the ECI over similar party symbol being allotted to an independent candidate. Patil said they will put forth their side before the ECI on the issue.
