BJP plans hi-tech media campaign for UP polls

Lucknow, Mar 8 (UNI) The Bharatiya Janata Party has planned a massive hi-tech media campaign for the coming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh with ten regional media centres to be established for the first time in different parts of the state.

The media campaign, largely to be looked after by a team of Central BJP leaders, will have all communication-friendly devices being set up at the major news publishing centres. ''There will be a masive media campaign for the seven-phase assmebly polls starting April 7,'' senior party leader and designated media campaign coordinator M Venkaiah Naidu said here.

Endeavouring not to leave any stone unturned for an aggressive media campaign, the BJP leadership had already asked its Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to camp in the state during the campaign period. The party has already announced to pitch in its top brass including the likes of Venkaiah Naidu, Mr Naqvi, Arun Jaitely and many others, in the polls.

National Media In charge Sidhart Nath Singh has been asked to coordinate with the state unit leaders to launch a sustained media onslaught in the coming days possibly after March 11 when the list of party candidates will be announced.

Various committees of the election manifesto, tours and travel, publicity and printing and dissemination of vital informations are in the process of being formed and would be operational by the next week.

Meanwhile, the state party President Keshari Nath Tripathi, in the presence of Central leader M Venkaiah Naidu, the coordinator media campaign, Kalayan Singh, the projected chief minister candidate, Lalaji Tandon, the legislator party leader, Kalraj Mishra, Om Prakash Singh finalised the panel of party candidates.

The final decision in this regard would be taken by the Central Election Committee in its two-day meeting in New Delhi on March 10 and 11.

Party president Rajnath Singh will also arrive in the state capital this evening. Mr Singh will participate in the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) Pratinidhi Sabha Meeting strating tomorrow, and would also review the poll preparedness of the party for the assembly poll.

UNI