Dharti Pakad

Dharti Pakad (also spelt Dharti Pakar and Dharti Pakkad; transcribed as Dhartipakad and Dhartipakar as well) (etymology: Dharti = Earth; Pakad = Grasp: "One who clings on") is the nickname of at least three persons in India who contested unsuccessfully in several elections against top political leaders.

A satirical television show looking at the electoral politics was named Dharti Pakad after a man named Kaka Joginder Singh, whose nickname was Dharti Pakad. Mohan Lal, a cloth merchant from Bhopal, also had the nickname of Dharti Pakad for contesting elections against five different Prime Ministers and losing the deposit in all these elections. Nagarmal Bajoria is also known by the nickname of Dharti Pakad; he contested from over 278 constituencies and used donkeys for campaigning in an election. There are others who have contested several elections (see this for example) unsuccessfully, but not necessarily known by the sobriquet.

Dharti Pakad is also a popular nickname in office politics referring to individuals who have no case for meaningful existence in the prevailing environment.