BICYCLE SYMBOL OF INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES

[pga]

What a surprise to find on The Guardian website Pictures of the Day section a marvellous photograph of a supporter of the Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party wearing a model bicycle on his head, holding a bicycle depicting flag and wearing bicycle badges and stickers on his clothing.

I was even more surprised to find that there was a second Indian political party, the Telegu Deram Party in Andhra Pradesh, which also uses the bicycle as its symbol.

I knew from the time I spent in India in the 1960's that in a country where many of the populace are illiterate that easily recognised symbols were used by the political parties to identify them to the electorate. Some even argued that the success of the Congress Party owed much to its use of the sacred cow as its symbol.

Look it up. I am sure you will find it as interesting as I did. Maybe the Greens are missing a trick.

[tykeboy2003]

Maybe the Greens are missing a trick.

I don't think that adopting a bike as a party symbol would help to be honest, they are already deeply unpopular with people who drive most cars and particularly the Chelsea Tractor brigade and sun reading Top Gear watchers, a bicycle emblem would simply reaffirm their narrow minded views.

[Bmblbzzz]

I thought the Congress Party symbol was hand, not cow.

Edit: According to wikipedia, it was a cow with suckling calf from 1971-77.