GUWAHATI: Celebrity endorsements, quiz competitions and folk song and sweet making contests are just some of the initiatives that the state election department in Assam has undertaken before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. This is primarily being done to attract women, first-time voters, people with physical disabilities and senior citizens to vote on election day.
Some celebrities from Assam who have been roped in to be a part of the awareness campaign include sprinter Hima Das, environmentalist Purnima Devi Barman, singer Tarali Sarma, bodybuilder Golap Rabha and actor Kopil Bora.
Hima Das has done a promotional video encouraging first-time voters as she is one too. Tarali Sharma sang the theme song in another promotional video for active participation by all.
Several initiatives have been taken up keeping in mind the local aspects under the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Practices (SVEEP), according to Mukesh Sahu, Assam Chief Electoral Officer.
Cycle rallies and street plays have been organised, campus ambassadors have been appointed in colleges to hold ‘chunaav pathshalas’ to spread awareness among first-time voters through co-curricular activities.
200 students from IIT Guwahati have volunteered to do door-to-door campaigns in the interior areas of Kamrup district, according to a district election official. An election quotient quiz was also organised in the district.
A local mascot, ‘Chandraprabha’ will also be used to spread the message of electoral participation in the local language.
Nodal officers of SVEEP campaigns in various districts are organising ‘Naam’ (folk song) singing, ‘pitha’ and ‘laru’ making competitions and street plays to involve women in awareness campaigns.