HYDERABAD: With some election symbols resembling TRS’ car creating confusion among voters, including the recent Dubbak bypoll, party representatives have urged Telangana State Election Commission (TSEC) to remove symbols similar to their official symbol from the list of symbols in the upcoming Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections.
Telangana Planning Commission vice-chairman and former MP B Vinod Kumar, MLC M Srinivas Reddy, general secretary Bharat and MLA C Laxma Reddy met TSEC chief C Partha Sarathi on Monday and urged him to remove symbols similar to `car’ and requested him to take care while allotting symbols to independent candidates in ‘the civic elections.
“As some symbols looking similar to car symbol are creating confusion among voters, we requested the SEC to remove such symbols. In the 2018 assembly elections, symbols like auto, truck and road roller cornered our votes by creating confusion among voters,” Vinod Kumar told the media.
TRS leaders plunged into action as roti maker symbol allotted to independent candidate B Nagaraju in the Dubbak bye-elections dent the votes of TRS as it was reportedly similar to car symbol. The independent candidate stood fourth by getting about 3,510 votes. In this election, BJP candidate M Raghunandan Rao won with a margin of 1,431 votes against TRS nominee Solipeta Sujatha.
The TRS leaders also asked SEC to keep a tab on social media postings during the GHMC election campaign. Vinod said some parties were resorting to false propaganda against the ruling party and trying to create communal disturbances. “Hyderabad is one of the top cities that maintain law and order in the country and known for communal harmony,” the TRS leader said.