The Hindu : National : Left Front campaign enters cyber space

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 03, 2005

National

National

Left Front campaign enters cyber space

Marcus Dam

KOLKATA: The Left Front campaign for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections on June 19 has entered cyber space. Available now at the click of a mouse is its election manifesto and an introduction to its candidates for the 141 wards. Files containing voice recordings of leaders like Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, arguing the Left Front's case and appealing for support to its nominees can also be accessed.

The launching of a website - www.leftfront.org. — to put across the front's message is being viewed as one way of roping in a wider audience, particularly from among the educated youth and the city's economically privileged classes.

However, the more traditional means of communication during the run-up to any election in the city - like wall graffiti, door-to-door campaigning, exhortations for support through microphones mounted on auto-rickshaws and street-corner election meetings - have in no way lost their relevance.

But this time around the Left Front leadership has chosen to employ communication techniques normally associated with the world of corporate marketing.

Huge bill-boards and vinyl posters have come up in vantage positions across the city expressing in concise language the message sought to be communicated, accentuated with portrayals of models asking questions on civic issues considered relevant to the urban voter. This form of communication with emphasis on visibilityis being used for the first time.

Also evident in the election speeches is a shift from the usual party bashing to more immediate matters related to civic affairs.

The emphasis during electioneering will be on how the Left Front plans to improve civic amenities and the functioning of the Municipal Corporation if voted to power rather than dwelling on the bickering within a divided Opposition camp.

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