HYDERABAD: Just days after dissolution of State Assembly, BJP legislator from Khairatabad Chintala Ramachandra Reddy has already taken a leaf out of the party’s technology packed and successful campaigns in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat by engaging a van mounted with huge LED screens and loudspeakers. The use of such a campaign mode is quite new for Telangana.
While Reddy has hired one such truck in the last few days and plans to hire one more, it appears there is a huge demand for such vans among politicians. Sources said that one of the TRS ministers and one aspirant from the ruling party will be hiring the trucks in the coming days. Kothagudem MLA Jalagam Venkat Rao has also been using such a truck in the last four days.
In a ten-minute long video, Reddy is seen highlighting about the work done by him. On Tuesday, Reddy was seen talking about his initiatives like Pelli Kanuka, Badi-gudi, medical camps. BJP state leadership has, however, maintained that it’s the MLA’s initiative and BJP state unit has not started such a campaign yet.
“We have taken up several programmes benefiting a large section of the electorate. Over 520 youngsters have been given marriage assistance, 40,000 children school-related assistance, 40 temples have been developed, several free dialysis check camps have been conducted,” said Reddy’s associate.Black stallion mobile LED advertising media which has 10 such vans in their fleet, claimed that the demand for these vans is increasing by the day. “In the last several months, they were used for creating awareness about government programmes including Haritha Haaram and Bathukamma. We are receiving lot of advance bookings too,” said an executive of the firm.
Each van that costs around Rs 12-14 lakh is rented out for a monthly charge of Rs 4.5 lakh. It has a 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, all-weather LED screen with P5 resolution, two static ads on rear and other side, microphone and loudspeaker set. It comes with a driver, technician. “These vans are dynamic modes of campaigning and could take the candidate’s message to the public. A 10-minute video can be played umpteen times and at umpteen locations. It is the best alternative to a candidate physically presenting his plans for his constituency,” said a close associate of the MLA.