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Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra are currently involved to finalize their separate advertisement campaigns for print and electronic media. Incidentally, both will have a common theme of inclusive growth, good governance, safe and fearless living and harmony.
Advertisement and public relations agencies including Crayons and Paramin have already made their presentations to the Congress party team which is in charge of the proposed campaign. On the other hand, Havas Worldwide, formerly known as Euro RSCG Worldwide, Sanjivani and Paramin held marathon sitting with NCP team.
Congress and NCP are expected to spend anywhere between Rs 20 crore and 50 crore on the ad campaign. However, both the parties are tight lipped to divulge further details in this regard.
Congress, which had won 17 seats in 2009 polls, will contest 26 seats in Maharashtra. On the other hand, NCP, which managed to bag 8 seats, will field its nominees in 21 parliamentary constituencies in the state. Both the parties are also planning joint media blitzkrieg.
Maharashtra minister of state for home Satej Patil, who is part of the Congress team, told Business Standard “Our focus will clearly be on transparency, good governance, devolution of power, empowerment of women. In addition to this, we will also cash in on the Mr Clean image of state chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.’’\
Patil said Congress party will also play up the achievements of UPA and state governments in the proposed campaign. He informed that the government had made all efforts to provide relief to the natural calamity hit people across Maharashtra and will continue to do for those who are affected due to hailstorm and untimely rainfall.
‘’ We will appeal to the voters for a stable government at the Centre which is committed to inclusive growth,’’ he added.
NCP spokesman Narendra Verma at the outside clarified that his party is not keen to project Sharad Pawar as the Prime Ministerial candidate knowing party’s strength and the seats it was contesting in Maharashtra and other parts of India. ‘’However, we will lay emphasis on growth and stability and empowerment of all sections. Besides, Pawar led agriculture ministry’s stellar performance during UPA II,’’ he said.
Verma down played corruption charges leveled by Shiv Sena-BJP alliance against NCP leaders saying that the party is capable to counter them. ‘’Notwithstanding similar allegations made against our party and minister, NCP and Congress together bagged 25 seats in 2009 general elections and 144 in the assembly polls held in October same year,’’ he noted.
