New Delhi: In a setback to the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), the Election Commission (EC) has not given recognition to the party and the candidates will be contesting independently in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections. The EC has also not approved the allotment of a particular party symbol to the candidates for the elections that will take place on February 20.
According to ABP News sources, the candidates of the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha had demanded a common symbol of a tractor, a trolley, or a tractor and trolley. However, the EC refused it as the party is still not recognised.
SSM chief Balbir Singh Rajewal had also met with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Punjab with the demands. However, they were not fulfilled. The EC has allotted Manja (cot), Matka (pot), and Scissors as the symbol for the candidates of the party who will be contesting the upcoming election as independent candidates. The candidates will apply for these three symbols and contest the symbols that they get from the EC office.
The Sanyukt Samaj Morcha was founded after the farmers’ protests that ended in early December, 2021. Earlier, there were speculations of SSM contesting Punjab polls in coalition with the Aam Aadmi Party. However, Rajewal has clarified that there will be no coalition.
Punjab will go to the polls on February 20. The date for the polling was postponed from February 14 to February 20 after a request from the ruling government in light of the covid-19 situation in the state.