Munugode by-poll: ECI re-allocates disputed road roller symbol, TRS sees political motive

The ruling TRS (BRS) had been requesting the ECI not to allot the "road roller" and other symbols which resemble its "car" symbol during the Munugode by-election, with the requests now appearing to have been in vain.

Hyderabad: Notwithstanding the ongoing fierce campaigning by parties in Munugode, the Election Commission of India on Thursday waded into a political controversy by issuing orders re-allocating the contentious ‘road roller’ symbol to Yuga Tulasi Party candidate K Shiva Kumar. The same symbol, incidentally, was removed by the ECI itself from the list of free symbols in November 2011, following a request from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi as it resembles the latter’s car symbol.

With the road roller symbol being inexplicably reinstated in Telangana ahead of the Munugode bypoll, even as the TRS (now Bharat Rashtra Samithi) was raising objections and requesting deletion of eight symbols that resembled the car, the ECI has now triggered debates over misuse of a constitutional body by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre. The TRS (BRS), which condemned the ECI’s decision, has already dubbed the decision as ‘favourable’ for the BJP and saw political motives behind the move.

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The latest controversy stemming from the Munugode by-poll, slated to be held on November 3, began when the Returning Officer allotted the free symbols on October 18 to all candidates. Yuga Tulasi Party candidate K Shiva Kumar claimed that the road roller symbol was allotted to him by the ECI through the lottery. With the TRS again raising objections, Nalgonda Revenue Divisional Officer and Munugode bypoll Returning Officer Jagannadha Rao allocated the ‘baby-walker’ symbol to Shiva Kumar. Objecting to this, Shiva Kumar approached the ECI in Delhi and lodged a complaint to reconsider his case, following which the Deputy Election Commissioner flew down to Hyderabad for an inquiry. Based on his report, the ECI on Thursday asked Returning Officer Jagannadha Rao to immediately re-allocate the road roller symbol to Shiva Kumar.

The Commission also sought an explanation from Rao, but before he gave his explanation, the Commission replaced him with Miryalaguda RDO Rohith Singh. Jagannadha Rao told mediapersons that he had changed the symbol of the Yuga Tulasi Party candidate from road roller to baby-walker using his discretion as the RO.

Raising strong objection to the ECI re-allocating the road roller symbol, TRS (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao condemned the move and termed it yet another example strengthening the argument that the BJP was misusing constitutional institutions. Such actions indicate the BJP mounting pressure on the EC, which was expected to uphold the spirit of democracy without bias, he said.

Pointing out that reinstating the road roller symbol, which was suspended in 2011 itself, was a mockery of the spirit of democracy, Rama Rao said the decision violated the constitutional spirit of free and fair elections.

“As per our request, the EC had removed the road roller symbol from the list of free symbols. But the same has been reinstated ahead of the ongoing Munugode bypolls which is against the spirit of the election,” he said.

Dubbing it another cheap attempt by the BJP to confuse voters and dent the winning prospects of the TRS, Rama Rao urged people to note that the BJP was misusing constitutional institutions for its political gains. “We strongly condemn the decision taken by the Election Commission on transfer of the Returning Officer who worked as per rules. The Election Commission is working under the national leadership of the BJP. Realising that its defeat is inevitable in Munugode byelections, the BJP is resorting to all such cheap tricks,” he said.