New Delhi, Sept. 3: In a move likely to upset the BSP’s Maharashtra poll plans, the Republican Party of India has petitioned the Election Commission, seeking to freeze the BSP’s elephant election symbol.

The main Dalit party in the state has argued that it had used the symbol from the days of B.R. Ambedkar. The RPI had the symbol from 1942 till 1989. But it was allotted to the BSP in 1995 after the RPI lost recognition following several splits in the party. The RPI then chose the “rising sun”.

RPI sources said if the poll panel does not give a favourable ruling within a week, it would approach the Supreme Court to block the symbol for the October 13 elections to the Maharashtra Assembly. The BSP is expected to play spoiler for the ruling alliance of the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, RPI, Janata Dal (Secular) and the Peasant and Workers’ Party.

In the April-May Lok Sabha elections, the BSP polled 3.5 per cent votes in the state, helping the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in eight to 10 seats.

On Tuesday, an RPI delegation headed by party chief Ramdas Athavale called on the poll panel and submitted a memorandum demanding that the symbol originally held by it be returned or else be frozen.

RPI sources said people in Maharashtra, especially Dalits, still associate the elephant symbol with the party and Mayavati’s foray into the state’s politics will confuse them. “Thinking that it (BSP) is Ambedkar’s party, innocent Dalits may vote for the BSP,” an RPI member said.

The six RPI factions have come together to avoid a split in Dalit votes, increase bargaining power with big brothers Congress and NCP, and to strengthen their case for the elephant symbol. Athavale said that of the total 288 seats, the RPI confederation would demand 30 to 35.

Election commissioners B.B. Tandon and . Gopalaswamy, who heard the RPI delegation, said they would take a decision within a week.

BSP spokesperson Sudhi Goyal made light of the RPI claim, saying that they had forfeited their right to the symbol. “The Election Commission gave us that symbol. Let it take a decision, we are not worried,” he said.