Click to play videoSurat: As the election season builds up in Gujarat, the Congress has taken a leaf out of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's book. So, the party not only promises to work for the deprived in the state, but is also pledging a colour TV set for every home that falls below the poverty line.
Karunanidhi had first thought of including the colour television as an election pledge. The gamble paid off handsomely as he trounced AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu last year.
“Television is no more a luxury good, it is a necessity. It is no more just for entertainment but is the best medium to be aware and educate oneself,” Congress leader Ajit Jogi said.
The BJP slammed the entire exercise as a mere vote-garnering tactic. However, the Congress gameplan to lure the electorate has come rather late, which is only a week before the state goes to polls.
The saffron party has trashed the Congress’ effort and says that whatever the party does at this stage, it will not be able to win elections in Gujarat. “The party will not come to power in the state in the next 50 years also,” BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said.
Interestingly, the colour TV promise was not among the innumerable pledges the Congress had loaded the manifesto with. It has come as an afterthought because the party is desperately avoiding raking up issues like communalism that sharply polarises the electorate.
The party needs to counter Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's development claims with its own development propaganda. So, the colour TV has become a sop that at least lends some colour to its otherwise drab campaign.
(With inputs from Harish Gurjar)
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