Even as political leaders gear up for the May 16 Assembly elections, their campaign vehicles are also getting ready for the grind. From sun roofs to hydraulic platforms to LED lights, the vehicles go through multiple modifications to ensure the leaders have a smooth journey.
With leaders using a variety of vehicles including tempo travellers, luxury vehicles and jeeps, it takes anywhere between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh for a complete refurbishment. A simple refitting takes about two weeks, and a complete revamp, more than two months.
One of the first political leaders to take a ride in a refurbished tempo-traveller this election season was DMK chief M. Karunanidhi. On Wednesday, the vehicle was brought to DMK headquarters, and after inspection by DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin, Mr. Karunanidhi took a ride in it in the evening.
Before every election, the vehicle is sent to Koyas Workshop, Coimbatore, by the party’s executive committee member V.G. Rajendran for refurbishing. “We sent it a few months ago and a hydraulic system has been installed in the vehicle to help lift Mr. Karunanidhi’s wheelchair with ease. There is a facility to hold the wheelchair in place, a bed for him to rest, and LED lights to ensure that his face is clearly seen by the crowd,” explains a party source.
Similar are the facilities in Mr. Stalin’s campaign vehicle. “The only difference is that it has a toilet and wash basin. He spends an entire day campaigning in a location and there is a sun roof facility with steps so that he could climb up and address the people,” says one of his close associates.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss’s vehicle is also ready. According to party sources, Mr. Anbumani will be using the same tempo traveller that he used during the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.
“The vehicle has an attached bathroom, LED lights and other facilities,” says a party leader.
P.V. Mohammed Riaz, managing partner at Koyas, said that as on date, very few vehicles have come for a revamp. “More may be brought in during the coming days. They approach us for customising the vehicle to enhance the comfort level,” he says.
While tempo-travellers are used by the party’s main leaders, the others use vehicles such as Bolero, Innova and Thar jeep for campaigning in interior areas.
