Kochi: Commuters arriving at major railway stations in the division would be greeted by flex boards of smiling candidates from next week even as the United Democratic Front and the BJP are following in the footsteps of the Left parties in tapping the locomotive campaign.
“Yes…we’ve been approached by various parties to put up flex boards, notices and other advertisements at railway stations. The nod for the same was granted with respect to Thrissur and Ernakulam railway stations. There are demands for tapping more stations but the same is under consideration,” said V.C. Sudheesh, Chief Commercial Manager, Thiruvananthapuram Division.
The outfits though have to ensure that commuters face no difficulty for free passage or viewing of display boards and other public announcement systems, he said.
The LDF took the lead in putting up its advertisements on bogies. One rake of the Mangalore-Nagercoil Express started plying with the ads. Meanwhile, though a step behind, the UDF and the BJP are planning locomotive campaigning. Four more popular trains – Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam Vanchinad Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Guruvayur Intercity Express, Kannur-Alapuzha and Kannur-Ernakulam Express, will carry advertisements of the parties.
“So far only party symbols and catchy words form the ad content. Now the Congress and the BJP have asked us to put up pictures of candidates too. The design confirmation will be done only after two days as the candidates are being finalized. The ads will be displayed by next week-end,”said Mr Anwar of Black and White Creations Private Ltd. The railways will get around Rs 20 lakh by way of carrying the advertisements in trains and at stations.
