Bansri Shah, Pune
The Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the symbol of “man blowing turha” (a traditional trumpet) to the Nationalist Congress Party, led by Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP), on February 22, Thursday. This decision comes after the decision to allot the original symbol of the “clock” to Ajit Pawar on February 6.
The symbol of a ‘man blowing turha’, being a free symbol, did not raise any objections to the use of the symbol by the party. EC, in a letter sent to Sharad Pawar at the orders of the Supreme Court, said, “In response to the received request, the symbol ‘Man Blowing Turha’ is allotted to the group/party in all the parliamentary constituencies in the state of Maharashtra.”
The symbol of a ‘turha’, also known as the ‘tutari’, refers to a trumpet. It was used in earlier times to signal the arrival of royalty or important persons. It was a popular instrument in the courts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The sounding of the turha marked the commencement of preparations for a significant journey or undertaking, as well as the onset of battle. Additionally, it served as a signal for both the initiation and conclusion of combat. “The Tutari, symbolizing the immense valor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, once resonated to the point of deafening the emperor of Delhi. It is a profound privilege for our party to adopt the Tutari (Man Blowing Turha) as our symbol for the upcoming elections. Under the guidance of Sharadchandra Pawar, our Tutari stands prepared to make a resounding impact on Delhi’s political landscape,” said the NCP-SCP in a post on platform X.
The spokesperson of the party, Clyde Crasto, told PTI, “Our candidates will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on this symbol.”
The need for a new symbol comes after the split of the Nationalist Congress Party in July 2023, when Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, rebelled against Sharad Pawar. He, along with eight other MLAs, joined the ruling party of the BJP-Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, causing a split in the NCP. The Election Commission had allotted the party name as well as the symbol to the party faction that is headed by Ajit Pawar, which was a major setback to the NCP-SCP.