MNM loses torch symbol in TN, gets it in Pondy, cooker allotted to AMMK

Kamal’s MNM can contest in Puducherry Assembly polls with battery torch, but for TN the party should now apply for a common symbol to contest in the 234 Assembly seats.

Disappointed, MNM functionaries took the twitter to blast the Election Commission and termed the development as cheap politics by the commission.

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday notified the poll symbols for registered and non recognised political parties in Tamil Nadu gearing up for the May Assembly elections 2021.

A copy of the EC notification served to chief electoral officer Sathyabrata Sahoo allotted the “pressure cooker” symbol to AMMK led by RK Nagar MLA TTV Dhinakaran.

Dhinkaran told his supporters that the party will contest in the pressure cooker symbol. He tweeted thanking the Election Commission for allocating the pressure cooker symbol which was banned by the EC forcing the AMMK to contest in the gift box symbol during previous Lok Sabha and the recent by-elections.

Though there were no official communication from the Election Commission in this regard, the circular was circulated within the political parties.

The Commission is likely to allot the symbols asked by the political parties that are gearing for the May 2021 Assembly polls, but if there are any discrepancies, the non-recognised parties cannot insist for the same symbol, a public election department official said.

“During the Bihar Assembly polls, the political parties were given the symbol of their choice and the final orders in this regard for registered and no recognised parties will be released shortly,” informed EC sources said.