Although campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat is picking up, candidates and their supporters are finding it tough to reach out to their voters in the afternoon hours due to the scorching heat.
As the maxmimum temperature has touched 42 degrees Celsius in many parts of the state, candidates now prefer to take afternoon breaks and campaign till late evening instead.
Dhansukh Bhanderi, a BJP leader from Rajkot, said candidates and party workers now campaign in two shifts- morning and evening- as they prefer taking afternoon breaks due to the rising heat.
Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi also said that heat has affected campaign activities and party leaders are now avoiding meeting voters in the afternoon.
"Election material like caps are being distributed to supporters in large numbers to help them avoid the sunlight," he said.
"We used to start campaigning around 9.30 am. But now, we reach out to people in two shifts- between 8 and 11 am- and then from 5 to 8 pm. Thereafter, between 9 pm and 10 pm, we hold booth meetings. We take afternoon breaks due to heat," Bhanderi said.
In many cities like Rajkot, Surendranagar and Ahmedabad, the maximum temperature has gone beyond 40 degrees, which has dampened the spirit of most of the candidates, political leaders said.
Doshi said, "It is true that rising mercury levels have affected campaigning as party workers avoid going out in the afternoon. We have divided campaigning in two shifts and give breaks during the afternoon."
Meanwhile, at several places in Gujarat, candidates have been using different methods to attract voters.
BJP MP Kirit Solanki, who represents the Ahmedabad West constituency, campaigned on a bicycle, while sitting MP of Jamnagar, Poonam Maadam, who is seeking her re-election, rode a bullock cart.
At several places in rural parts of the state, the BJP also roped in magicians for campaigning.
On Sunday, the BJP also launched 52 digital LED vans from its state headquarters in Gandhinagar for 26 constituencies, which will carry the party's key message 'Fir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar'.
The vans will project works done by the Modi government in the last five years using three videos.
Congress said it has prepared campaign material, which is being dispatched across the state.
Polling for all the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat will take place on April 23.
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