E-Paper
'Air' campaign by PDP to make inroads in remote areas
A leading political party and its contesting candidates in Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls have taken electioneering to the next level by using advertisements through privately run FM radio for canvassing support.
A leading political party and its contesting candidates in Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls have taken electioneering to the next level by using advertisements through privately run FM radio for canvassing support.
People's Democratic Party (PDP) has for the first time in the history of the state used an FM radio station to put out advertisements seeking support for its candidates in the ongoing seven-phased elections in the state.
"Yaad rakhiye qalam dawat, PDP hai apni jamaat (Remember 'pen and inkpot', PDP is your own party)," says the ad run on the only private-run FM station in the Valley.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti believes that the reach of FM Radio is far greater than the newspapers, considering that many remote areas in the state do not get the publications.
"The radio has a wider reach. It has become a major source of entertainment in the state. Not everyone reads the newspapers and not everyone can read newspapers ... So we thought an audio medium like radio can deliver our message better," Mehbooba told PTI.
She said since her party was one of the youngest in the state, many people might not be aware of its election symbol.
"Other parties like National Conference, Congress and BJP are old and there might be confusion among some section of the electorate of our state about PDP symbol. So, we decided to put out the advertisement," she said.
Other political parties have stuck to time-tested medium of advertising -- the newspapers.
