'Ab Hoga Nyay' is the slogan the Congress will base its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, the poll theme taking off from the party's promise of providing Rs 72,000 every year to the 20 per cent poorest families in the country and attempting to tap into the perceived discontentment and anger in different sections of the society with regard to the ruling dispensation.
The party launched its publicity campaign for the coming elections, unveiling the theme song, the hoardings and slogans, all of them hinged on 'Ab Hoga Nyay'.
Explaining the reasons for the choice of the campaign theme, senior leader Anand Sharma, who heads the publicity committee of the party, said it connects with the predominant feeling of the people of the country, who he said are crying out for justice. “We reiterate our commitment to give priority to the feelings and aspirations of the people. NYAY is not just a word. There is a deep sentiment associated with it. The youth, the women, the farmers, they are all crying out for justice,” Sharma said.
The centrepiece of the publicity initiative is a 60-second campaign song, which has been penned by noted lyricist Javed Akhtar, and which has been directed by filmmaker Nikhil Advani. It has been produced by advertising agency Percept, which has also created several short publicity films for the party. The song focuses on the Narendra Modi government's 'betrayal of promises' made to the people in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, the alleged practise of divisive politics by the ruling dispensation and talks about the aspirations of the poor, the youth, farmers and women.
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Among the themes that the short publicity films is a video based on the experience of the Congress in running governments, and it features former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh. One of the videos focuses on the 'unkept promises' of the Modi government and talks about how the country's future is at stake. Another video talks about the perceived environment of hatred, and offers the promise of hope, happiness and respect for all.
Also part of the publicity campaign are a number of hoardings that convey the various pre-poll pledges made by the Congress, including the income support scheme for the poor, 33 per cent reservation for women in jobs, right price for farm produce, right to health for all, extension of the MNREGA job guarantee from 100 days to 150 days, and concessions for entrepreneurs. And they are all linked to the slogan 'Ab Hoga Nyay'. Congress President Rahul Gandhi features prominently in the campaign material. Regional adaptations of the campaign videos will also be made.
The media marketing agencies engaged in the Congress' campaign are Silver Push, Nixon Advertising and DesignBoxed.
Sharma said the Congress will use all platforms for its publicity campaign, which include audio-visual ads, jingles on radio, ads in cinema halls, use of digital media as also outdoor platforms.
In a unique publicity initiative, the Congress will deploy a few thousand container trucks plastered with the party's poll messaging all over the country.
“The Congress is not fighting the elections on the dint of money power, but on the strength of truth and justice. Our campaign is simple and it connects with the soul of the country,” said Randeep Surjewala, head of the AICC's communications department in response to a question on how the party will counter the BJP's media blitzkrieg.