Delhi govt books bus shelters for poll ad blitz

After declaring an all out billboard war on its political opponents in the Delhi’s electoral arena, the ruling Congress is now eyeing bus Q-shelters at prime locations. Neelam Pandey reports.

After declaring an all out billboard war on its political opponents in the Delhi’s electoral arena, the ruling Congress is now eyeing bus Q-shelters at prime locations.

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The BJP is already crying foul, claiming that taking advantage of being in the seat of power, the Congress has left them little space for taking on their campaign. Doing a little better is the newly-formed Aam Aadmi Party, which has put up advertisements on auto-rickshaws. Most of these are direct attack on Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

The Delhi government is reaching out to the voters with increase in the metro ridership, regularising unauthorised colonies, increasing the number of ambulances and buses and several social initiatives. The directorate of information and publicity is handling the campaign

“We are now going to display our government’s achievements on the bus Q shelters. Approximately 200-odd shelters have been identified and booked. The Ring Road, Inner Ring road, east Delhi and New Delhi areas will see maximum advertisements,” said a senior Delhi government official. The advertisements will not have the photographs of any political leader.

“We have also started a programme called Delhi Dil Se in which celebrities from the city will talk about he changes they have witnessed in the past few years. These include singer Kailash Kher, actress Sharmila Tagore and others. Every government likes to talk about its achievements,” the official.

The BJP described the campaign as a waste of the taxpayers’ money and misuse of the position by the ruling Congress. “The Chief Minister had been indicted by the Lokayukta for spending public funds on an advertisement campaign to get political mileage ahead of the 2008 assembly polls. She is doing the same again. But this false propaganda will not have nay impact as people know what the reality is. All the achievements that they have showcased, we are going to give a befitting reply to each one of them,” said Vijay Goel, Delhi BJP president.

“They are taking over all the strategic places to put up advertisements. Transport department is under them and hence they are planning to use the bus Q-shelters now. They have left no space for us,” said Mahender Nagpal, North Corporation’s leader of the house.

Assembly elections in Delhi are due in November this year.