Desam SMSes alert media about rivals

Hyderabad
Nov. 26: The media-savvy Telugu Desam (TD) has taken politicking to greater heights. It is not just informing the media about its own party activities through phone calls, SMSes and emails, but for the first time it has begun snooping into the activities of rival political parties.
In the just-concluded elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the TD’s media relations department sent a cryptic SMS: “Lok Satta vehicle seized at Chikkadpally police station with publicity material. Please cover.” TD sources said this is only the beginning. There are also plans afoot to provide video footage to TV channels. The TD has set a new trend and it is bound to catch on with other political parties. An all-out SMS war is in the offing, say party leaders. The TD president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has always believed in networking and using the latest technology to disseminate information about party activities ever since the party was launched by N. T. Rama Rao.
TD sources say that Mr Naidu has also set a benchmark for those working in the media relations department of the party. “PROs get more marks and recognition if more items appear in newspapers and TV. Naidu takes stock of daily news clippings,” a TD leader said. Probably, this is the reason why the TD’s public relations officers bombard beat reporters with SMSes on press conferences and send material through email and then follow it up with requests for coverage.
After sending press releases and important documents like those relating to the controversial Obulapuram Mining Company, the TD media department makes it a point, to inform journalists of the emails. “Please check your emails for...” is usually the last message of the day. Taking a cue from the TD, the Congress, TRS, Lok Satta and other parties too have begun sending information on party activities through SMSes and emails.