Autos cash in on poll heat, ply for politicos

Hyderabad: As Telangana State gets ready for elections, political parties and candidates are embarking on cleverly planned campaigns to woo the voters and are leaving no stone unturned to make vote banks for the upcoming Assembly election. The parties have been pasting posters on hundreds of auto-rickshaws to improve voter outreach with the auto-rickshaw poster campaign, which is a violation of Motor Vehicle Act and also the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Advertising on auto-rickshaws is witnessed by a large variety and section of commuters every day. It renders easy possibilities of making sure that the message gets absorbed by the commuters and as well as pedestrians walking on the road.

In poll-bound, each political party including BRS, BJP and Congress is trying everything to woo the voters. Posters of leaders and party workers have been pasted on the flexy hoods of auto-rickshaws across the city. Various ruling party BRS MLAs, and opposition parties like Congress and BJP are pasting flexes on the back of auto-rickshaws, especially the autos plying in Khairtabad, Kukatpally, Jubilee Hills, L B Nagar, Nampally, Uppal, Madhapur areas.

According to the observers, a majority of autos plying on city roads are in election mode and they are campaigning for the political parties. Asif Hussain Sohail, political analyst, said that political parties feel auto-rickshaws are one of the most visible modes of public transport for the common people. It can play an important role in reaching out to the citizens during elections. Following the strategy of putting ads on them, the parties and candidates planned such a drive across the city.

He said “The advertisements speak about issues pertaining to the common people. Many posters have already been pasted on the back of autos. The ruling posters talk about the power of the party, their developments and the opposition put posters regarding the corruption and targeting the ruling party, at the same time highlighting their own political agenda when they come into power.”

Asif said “Many prominent leaders and ruling party MLAs are branding themselves by giving advertisements on autos. The Election Commission (EC) must involve and take action against the violation of the election code,” he added.

Moreover, it has been observed that the local leaders who are not candidates for the elections are also branding themselves by pasting party posters and their policies and manifesto. Various Congress party and BJP leaders are also following this advertising policy.

Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union General secretary, M Dayanand said, “The stickers are illegal as these are not part of standard advertising protocol of the advertising policy followed in the city. It is prohibited as per Motor Vehicle Act and the transport department must take action against the drivers and auto-rickshaw owners.”

“Owners or drivers of auto-rickshaws which were carrying advertisements including the political advertisements must be prosecuted by police and transport vigilance department, as it is prohibited to cover the back of the auto under the Motor Vehicles Act,” said Dayanand.

As per EC, commercial vehicles cannot support political advertisements as the MCC has come into effect.