By IANS,
Hyderabad : Politicians in Andhra Pradesh are adopting hi-tech methods to woo voters, and leading them is Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who turned a blogger Sunday.
After sending SMS to mobile phone users during the last couple of weeks, the politicians are now using Internet to reach out to voters. Some of them have already launched special websites to seek votes.
YSR, as the chief minister is popularly known by his initials, has taken a lead by turning a blogger Sunday. He formally launched the website, votecong.com as part of the hi-tech campaign for the ruling Congress party.
In his first post on the blog, titled “Yes, We Will”, the chief minister said he feels charged up as he is about to campaign in the elections because this gives him an opportunity to meet people and renew his commitment to the people.
The chief minister wrote that his chief rival and Telugu Desam Party’s president Chandrababu Naidu’s “trinket promises” will not carry conviction with the people because the latter “bends to every wind in the pursuit of power”.
“When I promised free power to farmers in 2004, Chandrababu Naidu (then chief minister) mocked me. ‘If you give power free, the whole system will collapse. Power lines will be useful only to hang your clothes to dry.’ I am not sure if he has ever tried to do that. The result would have been shocking,” wrote Reddy.
Apart from the chief minister’s blog, the website features blogs by actors Jayasudha, Jeevitha and Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam.
The site also hosts articles and photo displays of the development and welfare programmes implemented by the YSR government in the last five years.
The Praja Rajyam party of actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi has also launched a website prajarajyam.org, providing all the information about the party, its election promises and featuring videos of the party’s songs and the speeches of the megastar.
It also has a section called ‘Chiru’s corner’ where an article penned by the popular actor has been posted. “For the first time in Indian history, this election is about YOU, the ‘Common Man’. The issues are many. From drinking water to schooling to healthcare, political corruption has left us devoid of our basic rights for over 60 years,” he wrote while seeking people’s support for the party.
The PRP is the third major contender for power in the assembly elections on April 16 and April 23. Simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha will also be held.