With a Twenty20 vision,SP injects cheer in its campaign

They are expected to cover nearly 10,000,kilometers over a period of 45 days in the five-phase election.

“Our campaign is expected to be kicked off in Lucknow on March 21,but this is tentative and dates will be finalised by Akhilesh Yadav,” said Anuraag,who runs a shop of electrical goods and had formally joined the SP in December alongwith 40 other professional bikers.

His team,sportspersons all,would campaign for the SP. He or his team members do not have any political ambition,said Anuraag. All they want is that the SP construct a velodrome in Lucknow when it comes to power. “We have conveyed our demand to Mulayam Singh Yadav and it was immediately accepted,” he said.

“The bikers,all 18 to 20 years old,will campaign like cheer boys for the party in all 80 constituencies,” said SP state president Shivpal Singh Yadav.

The party,in fact,has prepared a detailed campaign strategy. Along with the cycle,it will also press into service four choppers and 12 “raths”.

While Mulayam Singh Yadav will get an independent helicopter,two will be shared by Amar Singh,Akhilesh Yadav,Shivpal Yadav,Jaya Bachchan,Jaya Prada and others. One chopper has been kept in reserve for other star campaigners.

As for the raths,sources in the party said they have been equipped with all modern facilities. They will be taken around the constituencies where street plays will be held and audio-video clippings of the party screened. The raths will be manned by eight persons,including the driver and conductor.

The SP poll managers are also making arrangements for large scale SMS and advertisement campaigns. “The party is seeking all necessary instructions and clearances from the Election Commission to go for the SMS and the ad campaigns,” said a party leader,who is looking after the campaign preparations.