Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party has redesigned its existing election symbol ‘Car’ to make a clear visual clarity to voters. During the recent Assembly elections, TRS feels that its lost majority due to confusion among rural voters about the election symbol as they wrongly voted for other vehicle symbols, alleges TRS.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on January 7 directed TRS to submit its redesigned election symbol after considering its plea for delisting other vehicle symbols, which are closer to Car symbol.

“TRS party has submitted its redesigned Car symbol with bold and thicker lines and closer picture. Because naked eye, it’s a bit difficult to immediately recognise the Car symbol, when other vehicles are in the poll sheet. Even I too find it a bit difficult to notice our party symbol. As per CEC direction, we have redesigned our Car symbol more in dark lines and a bit closer in the picture. We have also requested CEC to delist other vehicle symbols in Telangana. Because, rural voters can’t distinguish between Car symbol and other vehicles,” said TRS MP B Vinodkumar.

TRS supremo and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said that symbols of other vehicles had an impact on party candidates. What is the difference between a truck and a car symbols in elections? Yes, definitely it’ll have impact. For instance, some independent candidates from small parties apparently benefited from multiple vehicle symbols in the just concluded Assembly elections in Telangana. Rural voters got confused and voted for other vehicle symbols. As a result, unknown independent candidates with vehicle symbols got reasonable number of votes. The beneficiaries of this apparent confusion were Samajwadi Forward Block party and independent candidates. Candidates with truck symbol got good number of votes, said Vinodkumar.