PR firms earn political parties' wrath

Congress, BJP unhappy

The Congress and the BJP are both very unhappy with their PR agencies. Party apparatchiks have been heard grumbling that in spite of the crores that have been spent on PR and advertising, the image of Rahul Gandhi as a waffling, reluctant king, and of L.K. Advani as a non-achieving has-been, remains intact.

PR firms, however, are sympathetic. "We only put a positive spin on things," says the head of a major PR firm that has several MNC accounts, "we can't change the image overnight. It takes time. They started their campaigns too late."

Image: India's ruling Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi shows media her ink marked finger after casting vote in New Delhi, India, Thursday, May 7, 2009. 

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