Bihar candidates ride Nepal radio waves
October 20th, 2010 - 5:24 pm ICT by IANS
By Imran Khan
Patna, Oct 20 (IANS) Never mind if they are riding foreign radio waves. Dozens of candidates in the Bihar assembly polls are finding the FM radio stations of neighbouring Nepal quite handy in wooing voters.
Nearly half a dozen Nepal FM radio stations are airing advertisments by candidates in Madhepura, Supaul, Madhubani, Kishanganj, Araria, Sheohar, Saharsa, Muzaffarpur, and East and West Champaran districts.
Candidates cutting across party lines have opted this medium.
A ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader told IANS on condition of anonymity that there are no such homegrown FM radio stations in Bihar’s bordering districts, so they have little choice.
“We have no option but to use the services of Nepali FM radio stations to reach out to our voters,” he said. He said a campaign advertisement of 40 seconds costs Rs.3,000-4,000 for 12 insertions.
Nepal FM stations like Jaleshwarnath FM from Jaleswar, Rajdevi FM 93.2 from Gaur Baxzar, Radio Mithila, Madhesi Radio, Radio Today and Janakpur Radio from Janakpur are beaming advertisements in favour Bihar candidates, said a senior police officer posted near the Nepal border.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Madhubani said FM radio stations operating in Nepal were a cheap medium for electioneering. “These FM radio stations have wider reach among people in the districts bordering Nepal.”
Most of Bihar’s districts bordering Nepal are going to the polls in the first four phases starting Thursday and ending Nov 1. The remaining two phases will be over by Nov 20.
“Since campaigning is the real backbone of the polls, candidates have been using FM radio stations operating in Nepal for it,” said Ranjeev, a social activist working in a Bihar district bordering Nepal.
He said these private stations of Nepal are very popular among people in small towns and rural areas along the 750-km India-Nepal border in the state.
Election Commission officials have not taken kindly to candidates using the Nepali air waves.
A district official in Kishanganj said the poll panel had taken serious note of the development. It has decided to hold dialogue with the union information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry to restrict Nepal from airing poll advertisements on FM radio.
The 47 constituencies in Bihar’s flood-prone belts will go to polls in the first round of elections Thursday. About 10.6 million voters will decide the fate of 635 candidates in the fray for the first lot of the 243 assembly seats.
- FM radio stations in Bihar to counter Nepal's FM - Aug 28, 2010
- First phase of Bihar elections witnesses 53 per cent polling - Oct 21, 2010
- Bihar bypoll peaceful, 55 percent voter turnout - Nov 30, 2011
- Bihar goes to polls tomorrow - Oct 20, 2010
- Indian tourists duped, assaulted in Nepal - Aug 02, 2011
- 35 to 40 percent voting in Bihar till 2 p.m. - Oct 21, 2010
- Moderate voting reported in Bihar - Oct 21, 2010
- Bihar elections proceed peacefully (Second Lead) - Oct 21, 2010
- Bihar elections begin amid tight security (Lead) - Oct 21, 2010
- Four killed in Nepal blast - Apr 30, 2012
- Polling for first phase of Bihar Assembly elections begins - Oct 21, 2010
- Nepali groups own up to killing Indian-origin media baron - Mar 02, 2010
- Bihar holds second phase of panchayat polls - Apr 24, 2011
- 52 percent polling in Bihar's peaceful first phase (Fourth Lead) - Oct 21, 2010
- Third phase of Bihar Assembly elections witness 53% voter turnout - Oct 28, 2010
Tags: advertisments, assembly polls, bharatiya janata party, campaign advertisement, campaigning, champaran, commission officials, fm radio stations, half a dozen, homegrown, imran khan, insertions, muzaffarpur, patna, private stations, radio radio, radio today, radio waves, social activist, state election commission