MP CM's web site launched

Bhopal, Nov 22 (UNI) On the lines of the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial nominee L K Advani, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched his website today as part of a campaign to communicate with voters as the day for polling rapidly approaches.

The site www.shivrajsinghchouhan.in was launched by the party's state in-charge General Secretary Ananth Kumar at a media conference here in the absence of Mr Chouhan who was busy on the campaign trail. Mr Kumar also launched the party's campaign material -- synthetic lotus flowers and beverage mugs sporting Mr Chouhan's picture.

The BJP leader admitted that the party was employing it products such as portals, web sites and cellular communication to have a direct approach to voters with the objective of carving out a winning edge. Poll campaign technology was changing the world over, he added.

Furnishing statistics, Mr Kumar said there were 35 million internet users in India and of them 70 per cent were youth below 30 years. The Election Commission also made an assessment that new voters numbered 10 crore including 65 lakh from Madhya Pradesh.

Besides, mobile phone users numbered 360 million as compared to 250 million print media readers.

The site's launching was linked to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath's controversial comment that the Congress would win the hustings at any cost. ''The Congress leader's outburst reflected his and the party's ego and both will be punctured by the people,'' Mr Kumar added.

He alleged that the Congress was ''misusing'' investigating agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation and Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) through selective leakages for deriving mileage during polls. The party had already demanded a judicial probe with regard to the ATS probe into the Malegaon serial blasts.

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