Sharad Pawar To Launch His Party’s New Poll Symbol From Raigad Fort

 Mumbai: NCP founder Sharad Pawar has chosen Raigad Fort as the venue to launch his new party symbol a ‘man blowing turha.’ The Sharad Pawar faction has organised a grand unveiling of the party symbol at a special event to be held Raigad fort on February 24 (Saturday).

The teaser of the event was released on the X account of the official Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP. "The turha of the development will be blown along with Sharad Pawar at Raigad," said the teaser.

All top leaders of the Sharad Pawar faction along with party officials and workers will attend the symbol launching event at Raigad.

According to political observers, Sharad Pawar's decision to choose Raigad to launch his new party symbol is a shrewd move as the fort holds a special place in the hearts of Marathi people. Located in Raigad district in the coastal Konkan region, the fort was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Maratha kingdom.

The Election Commission allotted the symbol, ‘man blowing turha’, to the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, days after it recognised Ajit Pawar’s faction as the real NCP and also gave the original ‘clock’ symbol to them.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday allotted a new poll symbol to the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar, days after it gave the NCP name and its original ‘clock’ symbol to the Ajit Pawar faction

A turha, also known as tutari, is a trumpet that is sounded to mark the entry of important individuals or at the beginning of significant events.

Sharing the EC order on the new party symbol on social media, the party quoted lines from Tutari, a famous Marathi poem written by Kusumagraj.

“The tutari in the form of great valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had once deafened the emperor of Delhi,” the party said. “It is a great honour for our party to get the man blowing turha as our symbol for upcoming elections…Our tutari is now ready to shake Delhi’s throne under the leadership of Sharadchandra Pawar," said the party.

NCP Rajya Sabha MP and Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar, said the launching of the symbol is the new beginning for the party. We will start from scratch and rise again, she said.