JDS To Add Wheel To 'Woman Carrying Paddy' Symbol; Expects Good Luck In Polls
Deve Gowda believes the existing symbol appears stagnant and adding a wheel will provide positive energy along with good luck.
Published : January 11, 2026 at 3:14 PM IST
Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) has decided to modify its existing election symbol of a 'woman carrying paddy' by adding a wheel to it. The decision was taken at the party's core committee meeting on the advice of former Prime Minister and party supremo H D Deve Gowda on Saturday.
JDS has been contesting in elections with the 'woman carrying paddy' symbol since 2001. Currently, JDS is experiencing a tough situation in view of election defeats and having already formed an alliance with the BJP, the party wants to give a new look to its symbol.
Following this, the JDS has decided to submit a proposal to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for modifying its symbol. Deve Gowda believes that adding a wheel will give the party a positive energy.
The original Janata Dal party had the wheel as its symbol but after it split into JDS and JDU, ECI froze the symbol. Now, JDS wants to add the same wheel into its existing 'woman carrying paddy' symbol.
JDS has decided to bring this modification to the party's election symbol in 2026 itself. An application in this regard is being submitted to the ECI soon. Party sources said that if the ECI gives permission, the new symbol will be used for the local body elections and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections.
The decision to add a wheel to its election symbol is reportedly influenced by astrologers, whom the Gowda family consults from time to time. Sources said that astrology suggests that putting a full circle with the party symbol will bring prosperity and good fortune to the party. Whatever decision Deve Gowda takes, he will move as per the advice of astrologers, they added. The Gowda family strongly believes that a change in symbol will bring good luck to the JDS party in the elections.
Earlier, the JDS party had a tractor symbol. However, party candidates were defeated in some places as independent candidates used symbols similar to tractors, road rollers, jeeps, and train engines as symbols in the assembly constituencies, which was confusing to the voters. Due to this, independent candidates with vehicle symbols were taking away the votes of JDS candidates, the party leaders felt.
In this context, Deve Gowda had decided to replace the tractor election symbol by a woman carrying paddy in December 2001. Now, after 24 years, the JDS party has decided to change its symbol again.
If the election symbol is not approved soon, the party will definitely contest the next assembly elections in 2028 with its new symbol. Overall, Deve Gowda is committed to strengthening the party again, and after organising and restructuring the party, he is now planning to give the symbol a new look, hoping for electoral luck through this.
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