Metro, the new poll travel vehicle

In the last seven years or so, Delhi Metro has become the preferred mode of public transport for commuters who want a comfortable and smooth ride.

In the last seven years or so, Delhi Metro has become the preferred mode of public transport for commuters who want a comfortable and smooth ride.

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It has now found favour with politicians busy with hectic campaigning during the poll season.

A few days ago Congress candidate and Chandni Chowk MP Kapil Sibal travelled by the Metro to reach out to his voters and beat road traffic.

“I am going to use the Metro from now on while campaigning,” Sibal said. “It takes a lot of time to reach the extremities of my constituency and it is better to travel by the Metro. I can reach my destination in half an hour, which would have taken a lot of time If I travelled by car,” he said.

Sibal said that he travels with just a few of his people.

“In the next few days, I would start campaigning in the Metro. You have to find ways to reach out to the public,” said Jagdish Mukhi, the BJP candidate from West Delhi constituency. Mukhi would start his journey from Dwarka sector 9 and use the Metro’s Line 3, which traverses through West Delhi.

The state election commission said that politicians using the Metro for campaigning do not amount to violation of the code of conduct. “If they are paying Metro commercially then there is no violation. If they pay Metro to put up their banners or advertisements inside the train, it would be added to their election expenditure,” said Satbir Silas Bedi, Delhi chief electoral officer.