SEC raises poll spend to ₹15 lakh

The State Election Commission (SEC) allotted election symbols to candidates contesting the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections on Saturday, formally marking the start of campaigning across the city.

- Indu Bhagat

Recognised political parties have been allotted their reserved symbols. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest on the lotus symbol, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on the clock, the Congress on the hand, the NCP-Sharad Chandra Pawar faction on the trumpet-playing man, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on the mashaal (torch), and the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) on the bow and arrow. Other reserved symbols include the broom for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the railway engine for the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the elephant for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

In this election, most candidates of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi have been allotted the gas cylinder symbol, while candidates of the Rashtriya Samaj Party have received the autorickshaw symbol.