Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is headed for Assembly elections next year, expected to be held in February–March in four phases. Political parties have already begun stepping up their campaign preparations.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has commissioned a red campaign bus equipped with modern facilities, including multiple rooms, a conference hall and a toilet. The vehicle is designed to allow him to address crowds even from the roof.
According to reports, the designer who earlier created a campaign vehicle for actor Vijay during the Karur election campaign has built this bus for Akhilesh as well. The first bus has already reached Uttar Pradesh, while two more are said to be under preparation.
The bus is expected to carry only Akhilesh Yadav’s photo on the front, with no images of alliance partner Congress or even party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Some observers also note that the bus’s large size could make it difficult to navigate and turn in narrow village lanes.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has arranged a smaller van for his campaign, reportedly pitching it as a contrast between a “rich man’s vehicle” and a “poor man’s ride”. The episode has sparked talk that cinema-style campaign branding seen in Tamil Nadu is now spreading to northern states as well.
