As the major political parties in the country have joined a high-tech election campaign, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has also adopted the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipments to solicit votes for its candidates in the upcoming lok Sabha and Assembly in the State.
“Each BJD vehicle has a lED screen, a sound system, internet connection, satellite TV and power backup. A total of 147 vehicles will cover all the Assembly constituencies,” said a senior party leader.
The vehicles can display electronic contents for more than three hours at a stretch. Besides, the lED screens can directly telecast contents downloaded from the internet.The contents to be shown to the people have been selected by a professional group. These comprise highlights of the BJD Government’s achievements during the last 14 years of its rule and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s profile, party sources said.
While candidates have been asked to go for their own electioneering, the vehicles would campaign for the party as a whole and make its poll symbol ‘Conch shell’ popular among the voters.According to a BJD survey, illiterate and rural voters sometimes get confused over the party’s symbol. While the Congress and BJP symbols are common, the BJD’s symbol has not been as popular.
Party chief Naveen Patnaik has already flagged off the BJD campaign vehicles fitted with the equipments for campaigning for the first phase of polls in 70 Assembly segments and 10 lok Sabha seats. The party has dispatched 70 such customised vehicles to different parts of the State.
The BJD is also preparing special audio and video materials for use during campaigning, especially in the rural areas.