New Delhi, April 7 (IANS): It was hard to miss the well-dressed man holding aloft the trademark AAP broom, standing on a road divider in South Delhi. Donning the ‘Main Hoon Aam Aadmi’ cap, the supporter was silently campaigning for the 16-month-old party near Lajpat Nagar.
With the polling date drawing closer, political parties are not leaving any stone unturned to woo the voters. From street plays and musical performances to interactive sessions over a cuppa are some of the unusual, yet impactful, methods they are employing to catch their imagination.
While the AAP is “silently” touching the voter’s emotional chords, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has plastered the city with posters of its prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi screaming out to vote for a “Modi Sarkar”.
Though not as visible as its counterparts, the Congress too is promoting its achievements. According to Pankaj Gupta, national secretary, Aam Aadmi Party: “It is very easy to recognise our party members and supporters even from a distance because the caps and brooms have become a powerful symbol of our party and ideology.”
“The broom is the new age ‘gada’ (mace) which the supporters can carry along,” Gupta told IANS. Apart from the age-old favourites like newspaper and television advertisements and rallies to capture the voters - both young and old - the political parties are also using mediums like FM radio, social media, SMSs and even phone calls through which leaders, in recorded messages, ask for the votes.
However, amid this visible clout of expansive campaigning, the BJP is also relying on traditional means like ‘nukkad natak’ (streetcorner plays) and puppet shows. “What you see on television or read in newspapers is different from what you experience live. In our plays, when the audience sees a man crying because he cannot afford to feed his children, or a woman who is vulnerable to rape, it leaves a lasting impression,” Rajeshwar Nagpal, head of BJP Delhi’s Right to Information cell, explained.
Nagpal added that such activities have a direct impact on the voters and gets them thinking. “What they see is very much happening in their lives, and hence they can relate to the situation and issues depicted in these plays,” he said, and mentioned that they are highlighting issues like women’s safety, corruption and inflation through these mediums.
The impact of these plays was evident on the psychology of a group of people in north Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area recently who were watching a play narrating a rickshaw puller’s struggling life. His moving account was a testimony of growing disparity between the rich and the poor, and other issues plaguing the common man.
As expected, the connect was successful to the last voter, and left the audience teary eyed. It is not just parties that are evolving new methods to hook the voters; even candidates are coming out with innovative ideas.
The Congress party’s candidate from the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency and party general secretary, Ajay Maken, is making use of short-flims made using camera phones as part of his campaign strategy. A Congress spokesperson told IANS that party vice president Rahul Gandhi’s meetings with people of varied backgrounds at the grassroots level is also a part of the campaign strategy.
“Rahul Gandhi met rickshaw pullers and auto drivers in Varanasi, tribal women in Ranchi and students in Guwahati. In these meetings, he came across as a keen listener who was more interested in knowing what problems people were facing and how these issues could be addressed in the party manifesto,” the spokesperson explained. On being asked about the budget allocated for these campaigns, the BJP didn’t reveal any figures, while AAP said its volunteers plan out the campaign strategy on their own.
“We only have white money and hence don’t have much to invest in newspaper and television campaigns,” Gupta said. Apart from this, AAP is also connecting with the audience in a musical way, through its “Band of Activists”. The party has found support in a group of young hobby singers who have formed a band and plan to campaign in cities big and small to woo young voters.
The BJP too is promoting “Modi’s development vision” through CDs. “People call their friends and acquaintances who meet at someone’s place and watch a CD that focusses more on solutions and talks about Modiji’s work and his future plans. This is what we are calling ‘Chai pe Charcha’,” a BJP leader explained.
Tourists line up to witness festival of democracy
Ahmedabad, April 7 (PTI): As the poll juggernaut rolls on, tourists from countries like the US, France, Nigeria and UAE have decided to witness the rough-and-tumble of polls in the world’s largest democracy, especially the keen contest in the holy city of Varanasi.
Notwithstanding the scorching Indian summer, many foreigners have registered for a USD 1200 six-night, seven-day election tourism package offered by a private tour operator which includes visit to public rallies, poll campaigns, meeting party leaders and Election Commission officers.
However, the NRIs and Gujaratis settled abroad are mainly interested in the contest between BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi and AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal in Varanasi. “Inspite of summer, more people have committed to visit India during polls under ‘Election Tourism’ initiative,” said ‘Election Tourism India’s city-based chairman Manish Sharma.
The concept was launched before the 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections and initially only 125 international tourists visited the state. But this time 800 tourists have so far committed to watch the election process unfolding in the largest democracy of the world, he claimed.
“The idea of election tourism which was first conceived by us is going to deliver another influx of tourists in upcoming elections,” Sharma said, adding that besides the 800 confirmed entries more than 2000 entries are expected.
He said inquiries from NRIs and specially NRGs (non-resident Gujaratis) increased after BJP declared it was fielding Modi from Varanasi. “Most of the tourists want to visit the holy city of Varanasi to see its ancient value and to witness the fight between Modi and Kejriwal,” he said, adding that tourists often inquire about Modi and Aam Admi Party.
