From ceiling fan to comb, Indian political parties woo voters with the strangest party symbols

Political party symbols hold special significance in the Indian elections, given only 74% of the country’s population is literate.

While many are familiar with the hand of the Indian National Congress and the lotus of the Bharatiya Janata Party, there are hundreds of others. First introduced by Election Commission of India in 1950, even today they hold great sway in connecting political parties with the electorate.

In the upcoming elections, around 900 registered voters in India will cast their vote by pressing the button next to the symbol of the political party they have chosen on an electronic voting machine.

Additionally, over half of the political symbols suggested by the Election Commission are personal grooming items like the comb. Another famous symbol was a “lady purse”. The political parties also used a toothbrush as a reminder of dental hygiene to the voters. In fact, a lady frock was also used back in 1950s.

Here are some of the most unusual symbols used used by political parties that have entered the fray-