Umbrella for Sale? Bargaining for Indian Political Party Symbols

This umbrella is the political symbol of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). In efforts being made by actor-politician Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) to secure a symbol, the PRP, after the Indian Election Commission declined a common symbol for it despite Apex court's recommendation, PRP "withdrew its petition in Andhra Pradesh High Court as it decided to fight the forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections under the "umbrella" symbol of SDF."

Thus, with an umbrella in focus, Brolly Blog had to learn what symbols are all about for Indian politics. According to IndianElections.com

According to certain criteria, set by the Election Commission regarding the length of political activity and success in elections, parties are categorised by the Commission as National or State parties, or simply declared registered-unrecognised parties. How a party is classified determines a party’s right to certain privileges, such as access to electoral rolls and provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television and radio stations - All India Radio and Doordarshan - and also the important question of the allocation of the party symbol. Party symbols enable illiterate voters to identify the candidate of the party they wish to vote for. National parties are given a symbol that is for their use only, throughout the country. State parties have the sole use of a symbol in the state in which they are recognised as such Registered-unrecognised parties can choose a symbol from a selection of ‘free’ symbols.

Any, then, why an umbrella for the SDF?