Supriya Sule cries foul as ECI calls Baramati independent candidate's symbol 'Tutari'

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule has cried foul over the Election Commission of India allotting an independent candidate in Baramati the trumpet symbol and calling it 'Tutari'. Incidentally, the symbol of the Sharad Pawar faction of NCP is that of a man blowing a blowhorn, which is called 'tutari' in Marathi. Though the symbols are visibly different, ECI labelling the trumpet as a 'tutari' has riled NCP-SP. NCP-SP has been asking voters to vote for the 'tutari' symbol. With EC allotting a trumpet symbol to the independent candidate and calling it a 'tutari', it is likely to mislead voters, according to the party.

"People are talking about a conspiracy. When the independent candidate (Soyal Shaikh) first filed for the symbol we had objected, but our objections were ignored. This is not the first time. There is a pattern -- wherever NCP-SP contests, the independent candidates are filing nominations seeking similar symbols. This is not happening in seats where Congress or the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Sena is contesting. It is happening only in seats where we are contesting," Sule told the media on Tuesday.

NCP has now filed a complaint with ECI objecting against the move. Sule is engaged in a high-stake battle in Baramati against her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, wife of deputy CM Ajit Pawar.