NCP leader angry over new symbol 'Shapla Koli'

'Shapla Koli' has been added as a new symbol in the latest gazette of the Election Commission (EC). The gazette signed by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed was published on Thursday (October 30). Discussions have started in the political arena after the new symbol was added. Especially NCP (National Citizens Party) leaders have raised questions on this issue and sought an explanation from the commission.

NCP joint convener Sarwar Tushar said, 'Shapla Koli was not in the list of symbols. Now how did it come about? And if Shapla Koli can be there, then why was Shapla not kept? We want to know the explanation.' He added, 'We will sit and decide on this issue and give a formal response later.'

According to the gazette, Shapla Koli has been added as a new symbol by amending the 'Election Conduct Rules 2008' under the power of Article 94 of 1972. It further states that the contesting candidates can choose a symbol from the listed symbols, except for the suspended symbol, according to availability. The published list includes a total of 102 symbols, including pineapple, television, cow, book, bicycle, plow, rice ears, sickle, chair, elephant, duck, motorcycle, mobile phone, cauliflower, rooster. The latest added symbol is ‘Shapla Kali’.

Meanwhile, the NCP is seeking ‘Shapla’ as the party symbol. The party had proposed three symbols – Shapla, pen and mobile phone – during its registration application last June. Later, they settled on the Shapla symbol. But their application was rejected several times as the EC did not have Shapla in its list. As a result, the party had been unhappy with the symbol issue for a long time. Now that ‘Shapla Kali’ has been added, NCP leaders consider it “controversial and confusing”.

Earlier too, the Nagorik Oikya party had sought Shapla symbol, but the EC also rejected their application. This time, the addition of the 'Shapla Kali' symbol has also raised questions about the decision of the previous applications. Political analysts say that although Shapla Kali is a seemingly ordinary symbol, there is a political significance behind it. Because, several parties have already claimed this symbol. Therefore, adding the symbol with a slight change in the same name may create confusion.

In short, with the addition of the new symbol 'Shapla Kali' to the Election Commission's symbol list, NCP leaders have raised the question - why not 'Shapla'? They say that the commission needs to give a clear explanation and clarification on the issue of the symbol. Various discussions and analyses are currently underway in the political arena regarding the new symbol.