The Election Commission has allotted farmer driving tractor symbol to the Jharkhand unit of Janata Dal (United). The party will now contest the upcoming assembly polls with the new symbol instead of its own arrow emblem.

The ECI allotted the symbol to the JD(U) after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which had a similar symbol, lodged a complaint for the state’s polls.

The party headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar will fight the assembly polls in Maharashtra with ‘diesel pump’ as its election symbol. The ECI issued an order for allotment of symbols to four registered unrecognised parties in four states — Jharkhand, Haryana, Maharashtra and New Delhi — going to polls later this year.

JD(U)’s Jharkhand unit general secretary-cum-spokesman Shrawan Kumar said the ECI has allotted the election symbol Tractor ChalataKisan.

Prepping up for the polls in a similar way, JD(U) unveiled new posters for the party. The party hoardings conveyed the message that there cannot be any replacement for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The text on the posters say, “Kyunkareinvichar, thiketohhai Nitish Kumar (Why to even discuss when Nitish Kumar is doing good).”

The JDU also ruled out the option of returning to the Mahagathbandhan, which comprises the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, among others. The JDU spokesperson said that the possibility of siding with those who are involved in corruption was out of question.

The JD(U) has decided to contest the assembly polls in Jharkhand and Maharashtra on its own.

Recently, it had roped in former BJP MP from Mayurbhanj SalkhanMurmu as Jharkhand unit chief of the party to spearhead the election campaign in the state.