Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections: Observing road safety, virtually

The mainstream political parties, especially the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Congress have set up their digital war rooms to pilot their canvassing road map

Relaxing in his Rexine-bound recliner, Akhilesh Saxena wears a friendly yet pensive demeanour. He runs a small shop, “Saxena Bandhu”, in the heart of Lucknow, selling election publicity material.

Though the shop is chock-a-block with electioneering paraphernalia such as posters, banners, and caps, the prospective customers (ticket aspirants) are largely missing. The pandemic has cast its shadow on the election publicity material business as well!

With the Omicron and Delta variants spreading fast and the Election Commission of India (ECI) laying strong emphasis on digital and virtual modes of campaigning ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the political outfits are gearing