Sharad Pawar faction of NCP gets 'man blowing turha' as party symbol

The Election Commission of India on Thursday allotted "man blowing turha (a traditional trumpet)" as the symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, the outfit's spokesperson Clyde Crasto said.

"Our candidates will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on this symbol," he told PTI.

The Sharad Pawar-founded NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government.

The ECI later gave the party name and 'clock' symbol to the faction led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Earlier this month, the EC allotted 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for Sharad Pawar's faction. This week, the Supreme Court directed that EC's order of February 7 allotting 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue till further orders.  

The Commission had asked the Sharad Pawar group to suggest three names of which one could be allotted in view of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra. Accordingly, the Sharad Pawar group has suggested the names -- Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party -- Sharadrao Pawar and Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar -- to the Commission.