Jalandhar, February 5
Despite Doaba being the citadel of the Congress, the turnout at the Prime Minister’s rally at the PAP ground here fell short of the expectations of poll managers.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, reached the PAP ground in a helicopter at 2.52 pm. Within eight minutes, he was up on the dais, waving to the crowd.

Subsequently, Sant Baba Kashmira Singh honoured him with a `siropa’. This was followed with a blessing session. Thereafter, all the 10 Congress candidates of Jalandhar district came to the stage one by one.

Most of the candidates, including Chaudhury Jagjit Singh (Kartarpur) made the customary bow to the PM. However C.D Singh Kamboj (Lohian) and Amarjeet Singh Samra (Nakodar) preferred to shake hands with Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Before leaving the dais, the candidates, including Gurkanwal Kaur (Cantonment), Avtar Henry (North), Tejinder Singh Bittu (Central), Mohinder Singh KP (South), Santokh Singh (Phillaur), Kanwaljeet Singh Lally (Aadampur), GS Atwal (Nurmahal) did not forget to wave at the crowd.

While Capt Amarinder Singh sat on the right side of the PM, PPCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo took a second row seat. Only the PM, CM and PPCC chief addressed the gathering from the main dais, whereas Jalandhar MP Rana Gurjit Singh compered.

All the Congress candidates including some office- bearers of Congress, including PPCC secretary Manjinder Singh and a former minister Jai Kishan Saini took their seats on the mini dais, from where a musical group entertained the gathering before the arrival of the top leaders.

As soon as Dullo started addressing the gathering, several groups among the crowd started raising slogans in favour of their candidates, including KP, Lally and Bittu. Dullo commented, `instead of showing strength here, show your enthusiasm on the polling day.’

Jalandhar, February 5
Canvassing has gone a bit hi-tech with candidates making use of SMS, e-mails and slides for wooing voters.

Since the use of posters, banners and hoardings has become restricted owing to strict check on defacement of public and private properties, the candidates are finding these methods quite convenient as they directly reach the right target in the shortest possible time. They also involve minimum expenditure, ensure wide coverage and can be repeated and made more innovative with a few clicks here and there.

The candidates have also been using the messages to inform the voters about their rallies. One of the most hi-tech candidates in the region is Mr Tajinder Singh Bittu, who is the Congress candidate from Jalandhar (Central). The media office of the candidate situated on Nakodar Road makes use of computers loaded with software for sending a number of messages to the voters in the constituency at one go.

The mobile numbers of hundreds of voters are being added in the list everyday so that newer and more people could be targeted each day.

Mr Satnam Chana, media adviser to Mr Bittu, said a team of boys was specifically working on the project so that new messages could be designed each day and sent to the target audience. Mr Chana said it had been decided that slide projectors will be put at various venues. The media centre of the SAD situated on the Nakodar Road is also operating on similar lines. Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said a wing of the party too was engaged in sending messages and mails. 

Jalandhar, January 5
Congress candidates today hired scores of private buses to ferry their supporters to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s rally on the PAP campus here this afternoon.

The buses were seen lined up from the District Congress Committee office up to the District Administrative Complex this morning. In the afternoon, these buses fanned out in the city to ferry audience for the rally so as to put up an impressive show before the PM.

The buses moved in the narrow lanes of the city with campaign managers calling out residents to have a ride up to the PAP complex. They worked like Roadways conductors and directed the drivers to halt at intersections. As a, result traffic chaos resulted on all roads leading to the rally venue. Most on board were daily wagers who had sacrificed the day’s work for the rally. The buses had banners of the respective candidates in the front and party flags fluttering on all sides. A bus displaying Congress candidate Tajinder Singh Bittu’s banners was seen passing on Nehru Road and in front of PCM SD College this afternoon.