MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena has found an innovative way to wish the voters on the occasion of Dasara -- a digital greeting card with party founder the late Bal Thackeray’s voice message
“I always trusted you. You have to keep the saffron flag flying in the interests of Maharashtra,” the message says.
In its new outlook, the Sena has come up with a unique way of campaigning. The party is trying to impress its traditional voters with the late Thackeray’s memories.
On the other hand, its rivals the BJP, Congress and the NCP have launched an advertisement blitz showcasing their achievements.
The BJP is seeking votes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name. Its slogan ‘Chhatrapati Ka Aashirwad, Chalo Chale Modi Ke Saath’ is making rounds on the various TV and FM channels.
Taking forward its Lok Sabha election campaign, the BJP has produced short video clips featuring common people blaming the erstwhile Congress-NCP Government for “ruining” the state.
In these clips, a rickshaw driver, a farmer and a woman narrate their grievances and angrily ask, “In which direction they (the Congress-NCP) have taken our Maharashtra.”
“We have planned to set up video vans at several places. These clips will be run on these vans throughout the day,” Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said.
The Congress’ campaign has mainly focused on former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan’s clean image. In its video clip, Chavan claims that Maharashtra has gained the numero uno position in several fields because of the Congress.
“My government’s every hour, every minute and every second was for the people. Ours was a clean administration. We did not hide anything. Progressive and wealthy, Maharashtra is number one,” he says.
Congress spokesperson Anant Gadgil said the party’s second clip featuring other leaders, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, would come out soon.
The Sena’s digital card is already a hit in the party’s hinterlands such as Parel and Dadar. The Sena supporters are thrilled to bits on hearing Thackeray’s voice. “It was a nice feeling. It looks like Balasaheb is communicating directly to us,” Mohan Gawde, a resident of Naygaon said.
After the digital card has become a success, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked the party cadre to distribute them in more constituencies. “It is our trump card. You should circulate it to more and more people,” he has asked the workers.
The NCP, on its part, has claimed that it has developed the state. The party’s advertisement claims that it developed fly overs and multilane roads in the state. Its punchline is, “The state’s development is our motto”.
State Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sunil Tatkare said the party would emphasise on increasing the state’s irrigation capacity if voted to power.
“We will take the irrigation capacity to 65 per cent by encouraging drip irrigation. We are also determined to maintain the communal harmony of the state,” he said.