Shooting charges make parties turn to older forms

PATNA, Feb 17 (UNI): With hiring charges of choppers for VIP tours claiming lions share of campaign budgets, all major political parties have tightened their belts in other heads of expenditure, including lavish distribution of audio and video cassettes, plastic coated banners and posters and erection of arches.

Strict enforcement of the ban on use of government buildings and public thoroughfares for wall writings and other modes of canvassing have led to restricted defacement of private walls and smooth passage of vehicles along the roads in absence of arches usually put by political parties and candidates during poll campaigns.

Major contesting parties, however, have not abandoned the campaign materials popular till the last Lok Sabha elections.

They have retained some electronic items in a calculated manner without putting extra pressure on their wallets.

The BJP and the RJD have released some audio cassettes, besides, booking time slots on TV channels for seeking support for their respective party candidates.

The parties did not impose any restriction on releasing video and audio cassettes on their own for use as a publicity materials and many nominees from both the parties played and exhibited cassettes to woo voters.

Reservation of Election Commission against raising Godhra inferno and the Gujarat riots during campaigns since the issue 'smacked of commmunalism' has triggered controversies.

The jurisdiction of the Commission in restraining political parties from deciding on election planks was questioned.

All election materials, including video cassettes and posters exhibiting Godhra issue to fuel the anguish of minority voters, were however, quickly withdrawn.

Parties and candidates procured lakhs of small size leaflets with the election symbols inscribed in them for use during door to door campaigns and distribution among the people.

Makeshift stalls sprang up during campaign days near election offices selling flags, posters and banners of general nature as well as replicas of EVMs were used to educate the voters on its handling.

A number of parties supplied specified number of campaign materials to each nominee.

But candidates were to purchase in bulk additional quantities of flags and festoons to meet the demands of their respective campaign managers from the stalls put up in the premises of almost all party offices at Patna.

Replicas of RJD election symbol 'lantern' and EVM, made of plywood are sold at the rate Rs 200 each per piece while cost of a single piece of plastic coated banner was around Rs 1,500.

A packet of party flags containing 12 pieces cost Rs 300.

In a stall set up in BJP office premises sarees with 'lotus' printed on the sprawl are sold at Rs 200 per piece.

Headgears and sun covers were used in plenty to popularise party symbols.

Dancing girls hired for garnering support through entertainment were also adorned with apparels bearing the symbols of candidates they patronise.