The Hindu : Campaigns go hi-tech in Kerala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 20, 2004

National

National - Elections 2004

Campaigns go hi-tech in Kerala

N.J. Nair

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections is going hi-tech in Kerala, with the rival political combinations planning to use e-mail, short messaging service and video films to drive home their message.

Compared to the conventional style of campaigning such as distribution of bills and door-to-door visits, the new mode would be more direct and convenient as it would reach the target groups more effectively.

The National Democratic Alliance, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are especially focussing on video campaigns. The NDA, which has announced its list of candidates in the State, has started the campaign in right earnest. According to its convener, B.K. Sekhar, the NDA is planning to exploit the high penetration of Internet and mobile phones in the State.

"There are not many places in Kerala which the Internet and mobile phones have not reached. We are planning to utilise this to our advantage. We have collected about one-and-half lakh e-mail addresses at random and pictures as well as messages conveying the achievements of the NDA Government and the contributions of leaders such as O. Rajagopal will be forwarded to them," says Mr. Sekhar.

The NDA has also collected mobile telephone numbers from various sources and will send out messages asking for support to its candidates.

The alliance has also roped in a number of prominent artistes and technicians to prepare video and short films which can be used along with the publicity material provided to the State unit by the national leadership, Mr. Sekhar said.

Once the campaign steps up, video shows focussing on the attainments of the NDA Government as well as the contributions for Kerala by the Union Minister of State for Defence, O. Rajagopal, during his tenure in Railway and Urban Development Ministries will be aired. The NDA is also planning to use the traditional temple art forms of Kerala such as `Ottanthullal' and `Chakiyar koothu' as well as street plays to propagate its message. Rehearsals are already under way under the tutelage of Kainakari Janardhanan.

The LDF is planning to prepare video films by roping in a host of film and television artistes. Visuals depicting the police action against the tribals in Muthanga wildlife sanctuary in Wayanad and other issues would be projected across the State. Songs for candidates in each constituency would be recorded in a couple of days.

Skits also would be staged in each constituency, LDF sources said.

The UDF, which has formed a campaign committee headed by the former KPCC president, Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, is planning to prepare video films featuring the welfare programmes of the UDF Government.

The KPCC general secretary, Joseph Vazhakkan, who is a member of the committee said that professionals have been called in to prepare video footage which would be used along with the material to be provided by the All India Congress Committee. Films depicting violence during hartals are also planned, he said.

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