SMSes breach the last frontier

 
Not lagging behind those contesting the elections to Assembly and urban local bodies, GP candidates have been liberally using SMSes to woo voters.

Cellphones are now a common feature in rural areas and candidates are now trying to take advantage of the communication reach provided by mobiles.

Cell numbers

“Vote for me. If I am elected our village will get a paved road, a bus stand, drinking water facility and environmental sanitation,” read an SMS received by a resident of Doggalli in Harihar Taluk.

Large numbers of campaigners have been deployed to collect cell numbers. Mobile service providers in the district have been besieged by campaigners seeking low-priced mass SMS packages.