Maharastra Cong to launch ad campaign for 2014 Lok Sabha polls

CM Prithviraj Chavan takes a charge to fix nature of campaign

With pre-poll surveys suggesting a debacle for the Congress in Maharashtra in the coming Lok Sabha elections, for reasons ranging from scams to anti-incumbency factor, the party is all set for an image makeover. Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan will decide the nature of the proposed advertisement and public relations campaign.

Chavan held preliminary meeting with ad agencies, including Crayons, Everest, Gold Mine, Euro RSCG, Alica Purple and Paramin, on Tuesday. The CM is expected to meet a few more agencies before choosing one or two for the proposed campaign. The party, which plans to run the campaign for about two months, will fix the ad budget in due course of time. The proposed ad campaign is in addition to the party's initiatives to reach out voters through social media. The state party unit has already conducted region-wise training of its workers. A Congress leader, who did not want to be identified, told Business Standard: "The brief to ad and public relations agencies is to prepare the campaign with a focus on inclusive growth, stability, the Congress and the government's resolve to fight corruption and do away with discretionary powers. More importantly, the party will encash the ‘Mr Clean’ of both Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Chavan. That is the USP."

The party leader dismissed the criticism against Chavan that his image has dented after the state government's flip-flop over the Adarsh scam report. "One thing is clear: This is a part of coalition politics. But Chavan's integrity cannot be doubted nor can his involvement be proved in various scams or corruption cases unearthed since he took over in November 2010. So the party will seek votes on the clean images of both Rahul and Chavan."

In the proposed media blitzkrieg, the Congress will effectively take on the Aam Aadmi Party as well as the alliance comprising Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party, Republican Party of India and Swabhiman Shetkari Sanghatana. Congress' argument will be that these parties are opportunistic and will not provide stability for Maharashtra.

On social issues, the party will project the state government's slew of projects to empower women and curb child labour. It will also take up the laws passed by the legislature against black magic and superstition and also against money lenders.