Amit fans get more time

Shillong, Sept. 14: For the people of Meghalaya, September 23 will be a red letter day.

Amit Paul, the Indian Idol finalist, will be performing live in Delhi.

Giant screens at different localities in Shillong, Jowai, Nongpoh, Tura, Williamnagar and elsewhere will beam the live performance.

This also heralds the new reach of information technology. Sony TV has just announced that the voting period has now been extended from 9pm on September 14 to September 23.

Meghalaya is also keeping tabs on what is happening in Darjeeling and Sikkim from where Prashant Tamang, the other contender, is getting maximum support.

Sikkim chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling has gone all out to whip up a patriotic fervour on behalf of Tamang by mobilising financial and other support.

Earlier, the government of Meghalaya made Amit its brand ambassador for peace, communal harmony and excellence.

In his neatly-scripted handwritten letter oozing with emotion, Amit has thanked the people of Meghalaya for the "warm welcome back home".

"I have reached this far thanks to you. I appeal to you for your precious votes to make me Bharat ki Shaan," Amit wrote.

Shillong Arts and Music Lovers Forum has chalked out new strategies to improve the voting count. More PCOs have been pressed into action. Pre-paid mobile cards from different service providers are being distributed. Flooded with complaints from PCOs about the clogged landlines, the forum approached the chief general manager, BSNL, to improve services.

The chief general manager telecom NE-1 Circle, A.K. Gupta, has assured that his department would take all possible measures to ensure free flow of phone calls.

During a media briefing in Shillong, the forum has appealed to people from the region and across the country to vote for Amit because they believe he "deserves to win".

Not to be left behind in the Amit campaign, the Rilbong Sports and Cultural Club today organised a car rally with a huge billboard where fans can script their messages to their idol.

Speaking to this correspondent from Mumbai where he was at yet another "shoot", Amit sounded tired but confident. Saying that he was doing all within his might to make the people of Meghalaya, the Northeast and this country proud, he said: "I depend on the goodwill of my supporters. I hope they continue to vote for me."

Tomorrow, the forum will organise a fundraising dinner at a local hotel where potential donors will be invited. So far, MLAs and party candidates for the forthcoming elections in Meghalaya have put in all their resources.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070915/asp/northeast/story_83 19601.asp