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BJP rides on hit Pak serials to woo voters in Kashmir

Whether they win or lose the polls, the BJP definitely tops the advertisement campaign in Muslim-majority Kashmir valley. It rides high on hit Pakistani soap operas to win locals in chaste Urdu messages on good governance.

Updated on: Nov 24, 2014, 12:21:32 IST
Hindustan Times | By , Srinagar
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Whether they win or lose the polls, the BJP definitely tops the advertisement campaign in Muslim-majority Kashmir valley. It rides high on hit Pakistani soap operas to win locals in chaste Urdu messages on good governance.

The-Pakistani-serial-Mastana-Mahi
The-Pakistani-serial-Mastana-Mahi

In a rare advertisement campaigns, the BJP is hogging the page one of local dailies like widely read Greater Kashmir and Rising Kashmir, leaving behind regional political parties like Omar Abdullah’s National Conference and Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s Peoples Democratic Party.

“The campaign pattern is different this year. The BJP tops in sustained poll campaign advertisements in the valley compared to big regional parties,” Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari told the HT.

“(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, Amit Shah and Jatinder Singh remain the faces of BJP campaign on almost all local dailies,” he added.

The BJP may see Pakistan as its bête noire but preferred took Pakistan soap operas route to reach to people of Kashmir.

The in-between breaks of top Pakistan serials like Mastana Mahi and Badi Aapa, Modi’s message in chaste Urdu is repeated at a very high frequency. Zee TV’s Zindagi channel is a big hit in the valley and the BJP message has gone through.

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The Pakistani soap opera, Badi Aapa.



"It’s interesting to see the BJP’s message on clean government, good governance and environment. The campaign has not touched any contentious issues so far," said Nazima Khan, a housewife from Srinagar's Hawal area.



The BJP is also using Modi’s Ladakh speech where he talks about three Ps of paryavaran (environment), paryatan (tourism) and prakash (power) as a radio jingle on local FMs.

Congress too has come up with a TV jingles like for Baramulla candidate Salman Soz but remains limited to the cable networks.

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