Papers read: ‘Party list ranking: 15’, ‘Soya Sauce Party Political Pledge’.

Tentacles read: Transactional politics, black campaigns, sectarian conflicts, money politics, corruption, fake news

Four new contenders are set to stand in the 2019 general election after the General Elections Commission declared last week that 14 political parties had qualified for the ballot, up from 10 parties in 2014.

Political observers however say that none of these parties are officering anything new to the electorate and given the recent rise in sectarian tensions around the country, campaigning in the upcoming regional elections is likely to be dominated by identity and religious politics.