JD (U) to approach HC to seek freezing of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha symbol

In 2015, the Janata Dal (United) was upset with the similarity of its party symbol ‘Arrow’ with that of JMM and Shiv Sena’s ‘Bow and Arrow’, saying that it created confusion among voters in the electronic voting machines (EVMS) during Bihar elections.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, the Election Commission (EC) accepted JD(U)’S plea and banned the election symbols of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Shiv Sena in Bihar. JMM had to fight the election with a new symbol despite appealing before the high court and the EC.

Later, JMM took the initiative to raise the same issue using the same logic and got JD(U)’S symbol frozen in Jharkhand ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

It petitioned the EC twice in the last three months.

Though the decision has come at a time when there were talks about JD(U) trying to strengthen its base in Jharkhand as well as other states in its quest for the national party status, the party has made up its mind to use it against the JMM.

JD(U) general secretary and former MP KC Tyagi said that the party would challenge the decision in the high court as well the EC. “We will study the order and act accordingly,” he added.

JD(U)’S Jharkhand unit president Salkhan Murmu said the party would go in for a new one, as the party has a lot more than mere symbol to bank on.

“We will surely move the EC and HC with a prayer for freezing the JMM symbol as well, as it is attached to tribals’ sentiments and has religious significance. JMM has been using the symbol to exploit tribals’ sentiments. We still have 2-3 months left and we will use it to acquaint people with the new symbol,” said Murmu.

For JD(U), he said, life would go on, as there was a lot more to the party than just symbol and the people trusted its ‘neta aur niyat’ (leader and policy). which was amply reflected through development with justice, prohibition , women’s empowerment and a slew of public welfare initiatives in Bihar.

Murmu said the good governance model of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar would be the biggest USP for the party to draw people.

“For JMM, the father-son duo has had four opportunities, but they have done precious little to show in terms of tribals’ welfare. For them, life depends on the symbol and if that is freezed, they will suffer much more,” he added.

In Jharkhand, JD(U) could not bag any seat in the 2014 assembly elections – a steady fall since 2005 when it had got six seats.

This time, JD(U) has already announced that it would not tie-up with BJP in the forthcoming Jharkhand assembly elections, as the alliance was meant only for Bihar.

Many viewed it in the political circles as JD(U)’S bid to increase its bargaining power in Bihar in the face of growing influence of BJP, as JD(U) has not been a force in Jharkhand despite having potential.

After the 2015 Bihar assembly elections, JD(U) was itself seriously mulling over change of poll symbol, as it felt it fell short of the expected number despite getting 71 seats as part of the Grand Alliance (GA), due to confusion over similar symbols of JMM and Shiv Sena.

Speculations were rife that it could go in for ‘Chakra’, the earlier symbol of the Janata Dal, which was reserved by the EC after split in the party and formation of JD(U) and JD-S. Later, the party decided against doing so.

First Published: Aug 26, 2019 13:59 IST