The 2018 Telangana Assembly elections brought forth a unique and intriguing electoral dilemma that centred around symbols closely resembling the car symbol of the BRS (formerly TRS) party.
The symbols of a truck, road roller, and auto rickshaw took centre stage, sparking a contentious debate over their impact on the election outcomes. In this comprehensive analysis, The Daily Guardian Review delves into the significance and influence of these symbols during the 2018 elections.
‘Truck’ symbol
During the 2018 Assembly elections, candidates competed in 58 constituencies using the truck symbol, which drew significant attention due to its perceived resemblance to the BRS party’s iconic car symbol. Remarkably, candidates from various political backgrounds, including independents, ‘Samajwadi Forward Block,’ Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist-Liberation), Samajwadi Party, and Samaikyandhra
Parirakshan Samiti, chose the truck symbol for their campaigns.
The BRS party claimed that the presence of truck symbol candidates led to their defeats in several constituencies. However, a closer examination revealed that the votes garnered by these candidates were often considerably less than the winning candidates’ margins. In some instances, truck symbol candidates secured third or fourth positions. Notably, the truck symbol achieved its highest vote count in Manakondur, with 13,610 votes, establishing itself as a notable contender in the electoral landscape.
‘Road Roller’ symbol
Similarly, candidates contested in 31 constituencies using the road roller symbol, which had been a source of controversy due to its perceived similarity to the BRS party’s car symbol. While the Election Commission had previously removed the road roller symbol in 2011, it was reintroduced for another political party, reigniting the dispute. During the 2018 elections, candidates utilizing the road roller symbol secured varying levels of votes, contributing to the ongoing debate surrounding its influence.
‘Auto-rickshaw’ symbol
Before the formation of the separate state of Telangana in 2014, assembly elections were jointly held, and the auto rickshaw symbol was employed in 91 out of 119 assembly constituencies. Interestingly, the election results in these constituencies did not necessarily correlate with the symbol but rather with the individuality of the candidates and their party affiliations.
The Dubbaka By-election
To underscore the potential impact of car-like symbols, BRS party leaders pointed to the Dubbaka by-election. In this particular election, the BRS party faced a defeat with a margin of 1,079 votes to the BJP. Nevertheless, candidates with symbols like the chapati roller, camera, ship, road roller, and television received varying numbers of votes, making it challenging to establish a direct connection between symbol similarity and electoral outcomes.
While the BRS party’s concerns regarding symbol similarities were apparent, the overall influence of these symbols on election results remained nuanced and subject to various factors, including the individual profiles of candidates, party dynamics, and voter preferences.
As the Telangana Assembly elections draw near, the controversy surrounding these symbols is expected to persist as a focal point of discussion and debate among political stakeholders and the electorate.
2018 Telangana elections
Candidates ran in 58 constituencies with the truck symbol, leading to the BRS party’s losses in several constituencies.
– Truck symbol candidates secured varying positions and votes, with the highest number of votes in Manakondur.
– In 31 constituencies, candidates used the road roller symbol, contributing to the ongoing debate about its influence. In light of these developments, the
Supreme Court has declined the BRS party’s petition to remove symbols resembling the car symbol in the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections, stating that voters can differentiate between a car symbol and other symbols, such as the road roller. This decision follows a legal battle that began in the Delhi High Court and was subsequently taken to the Supreme Court for a final ruling.
