UP: Hi-tech campaigning to attract voters

Lucknow, Mar 25: With modern tools of communication making their presence felt far and wide, politicos in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh have banked on hi-tech campaigning to impress the electorate.

In this race to reach the voters individually, major political parties are using variety of methods to reach out to the ever elusive voter. While Congress has set up a high-tech call centre, the BJP is planning the cell broadcast system.

The ruling Samajwadi Party has purchased tailor-made raths' (chariots) to convince the voter.

UP Congress has set up a four-member call centre at the party state headquarters. Dubbed as a pioneer project in the country, the call centre has been set up with an objective to answer all questions, including why should one vote for Congress, besides, supporting and directing grass-roots workers during the elections.

The call centre will be a link between the party and the grass-roots worker. Besides, the common man is free to call up the call centre to satisfy his or her queries, UPCC vice-president in charge of organisation Satyadev Tripathi said here.

The call centre has been provided with a data bank of 50,000 active Congress workers across UP.

Principal Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not far behind. Party leader Venkaiah Naidu recently told reporters that in its hi-tech campaign strategy, the party will leave others behind. BJP used voice messages in 2004 parliamentary elections in which then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee urged people to vote for the party.

BJP is setting up modern media centres in important cities with a two way communication. Party brass is also exploring possibilities of message broadcast. Message broadcast enables a user to send messages to multiple receivers.

Samajwadi Party (SP) has already purchased chariots with audio-video equipment to campaign for party candidates. Traders associated with the party have prepared 28 chariots to campaign for candidates.

All India Samajwadi Vyapar Sabha president and SP's Rajya Sabha member Banwari Lal Kanchal said the chariots would be used to publicise the achievements of the party amongst traders to ensure that vote of the business community is cast in favour of the SP.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on the other hand will rely on its cadre who would be used to ensure that party's electorate votes in favour of the candidate declared by party supremo Mayawati.

The seven-phase election process in the state will begin on April 7 and end on May 8.

UNI