Congress workers campaign in Bistupur. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Nov. 19: Don’t do the known, do the new.

This seems to be the campaign mantra this poll season.

While a Congress candidate is marching on the streets with hand-held loudspeakers, ally JVM is distributing combs and BJP is cashing in on lotus-shaped balloons.

Banna Gupta, the Congress candidate from Jamshedpur (West), and his lieutenants set out for campaign everyday with a handy loudspeaker tucked under their arm.

“When we visit bustees in the constituency, the hand-held loudspeaker helps Guptaji to talk to people and answer their queries. Since there are a lot of commotion and noise at these areas, he would have to speak loudly if the hand-held loudspeakers were not there,” said Manoj Jha, Banna’s campaign manager.

As Banna’s men are out with portable loudspeakers, supporters of Abhay Singh, the nominee of JVM-Congress combine from Jamshedpur (East) Assembly, is distributing combs among the electorate.

To make voters aware that comb is the common symbol for JVM-Congress in Jamshedpur (East), Singh’s campaigners are carrying with them sacks of combs for distribution. “We have ordered for green combs especially for electioneering,” said a JVM activist.

“Is kangi ko yaad rakhna hai aur isi mein November 25 ko button dabana hai (press the button on this comb on November 25)” is the party slogan that the activist are telling the voters.

BJP candidate from Jamshedpur (East) Raghubar Das is trying to fly high on lotus-shaped balloons. Das, the three-time MLA, came up with the idea that distributing these inflated balloon and releasing them in the air will be both innovative and catch the attention of the people.

“Raghubarji will be contesting from this constituency for the fourth time. But this is the first time we saw him coming up with an innovative method to woo voters,” said Ambika Banerjee, a resident of Burmamines, where Das undertook a padyatra recently.

Not only heavyweights but new entrants in the political scene are going the innovative way.

An independent candidate from Jamshedpur (West), Tilo Sardar, was seen campaigning at different localities with a coconut (his election symbol) on his head.