New Delhi: Congress, which has ruled the country for the longest time, has changed its election symbol twice. Once upon a time, the symbol of Congress was a pair of two bulls and a cow and a calf. Let us know about the history related to the symbol of Congress.
‘A pair of two oxen’ was the election symbol of Congress
The full name of Congress is Indian National Congress (INC). It was established in the year 1885 before the independence of the country. After independence, when the first general elections were held in the country in 1951-52, the election symbol of Congress was ‘a pair of two oxen’. Congress used to seek votes from the public on this symbol. This election symbol was successful in creating rapport between the farmers and the common people and Congress continued to contest elections on the symbol of a pair of two bulls for almost 20 years. When Congress split in 1970, the party was divided into two factions. Because of this, the Election Commission confiscated the symbol of a pair of two bulls.
Congress has also contested the election symbol of ‘cow and calf’
The old Congress led by Kamaraj was given the symbol ‘Charkha in the Tricolour’ while the new Congress led by Indira Gandhi was allotted the election symbol of ‘Cow and Calf’. Later a controversy arose over this symbol. After the end of Emergency in the year 1977, the popularity of Congress started falling and bad times started for Congress. Meanwhile, the Election Commission once again confiscated the election symbol of cow and calf.
How did Congress get the hand claw symbol?
When Congress was going through difficult times, Indira Gandhi came to seek the blessings of the then Shankaracharya Swami Chandrashekharendra Saraswati ji. It is said that after listening to Indira Gandhi, Swami Chandrashekharendra Saraswati ji became silent and after some time raised his right hand and gave blessings. There was another dissolution of the Congress in 1977 and Indira founded the Congress (I).
Option of elephant, bicycle and hand paw symbol was available.
When Buta Singh was sent to the Election Commission for the symbol, Congress was given the option to choose between elephant, bicycle and hand-paw symbols. Thinking of Shankaracharya’s blessings, Indira Gandhi finalized the paw symbol. Indira Gandhi got a big victory on this symbol. From then till today Congress is contesting elections on this symbol.
The public also liked the elephant-cycle symbol.
BSP and SP got the same elephant and bicycle symbols which Congress had refused to accept. Both the parties formed governments in UP several times. Even today the symbol of Samajwadi Party is bicycle and the election symbol of BSP is elephant.
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