Puthiyathalaimurai starts 'election bus' to cover Tamil Nadu

India’s parliamentary elections are a celebration of democracy. They are among the world’s biggest events of this scale.

Puthiyathalaimurai is celebrating the Lok Sabha elections, held every five years.

Special bus

To capture the mood of the electorate, the group is running a special bus designed to accommodate all the paraphernalia of a television studio. Under the banner of Jananayaga Peruvizha ('Festival of Democracy'), the bus will cover various locations across Tamil Nadu, carrying the slogan Therdhalnaa Puthiya Thalaimurai (Election Means Puthiyathalaimurai)'.

The bus will journey through all the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu, equipped with facilities such as live-streaming tools and a discussion hall, effectively transforming it into a mobile newsroom.

This marks the first instance of a bus being converted into a television studio in South India.

All-round coverage

The itinerary includes capturing and presenting events from 360-degree angles, including political parties' campaigns, constituents' expectations, and analyses from neutral observers throughout the journey.

Programmes such as Makkaludan Puthiya Thalaimurai ('Puthiyathalaimurai with the People'), which records the expectations and realistic criticisms of constituents, Mudhal Thalaimuraiyudan Puthiya Thalaimurai: 18+ ('Puthiyathalaimurai with the First Generation'), which captures the perspectives of first-time voters, and Thalaivargaludan Puthiya Thalaimurai ('Puthiyathalaimurai with Leaders'), acting as the voice of the people questioning the promises and election strategies of candidates and party leaders, are set to engage the audience.

Additionally, the Nerpada Pesu ('Talk Directly') programme, usually broadcast from the newsroom, will be conducted live in front of the people in the election field.

Inaugural event

A special inaugural programme took place on March 25 (Monday) at Kanyakumari, the southern tip of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyapratha Sahu IAS inaugurated the special bus tour through a video presentation.

Various dignitaries, including social activists and senior IAS officers, participated in the event.

Daily oath-taking events will be conducted in the presence of the District Election Officer to sensitise first-time voters. Additionally, various awareness programmes such as cycle rallies and student rallies are planned.

All programmes are hosted by the star moderators of Puthiyathalaimurai. As the summer sets in, Puthiyathalaimurai's Jananayaga Peruvizha brings the heat of political campaigns and the excitement of the election field directly to the people.

Puthiyathalaimurai is owned by New Gen Media Pvt Ltd, which also owns The Federal.