Mizo politicians, afraid of breaking the numerous 'Thou shalt not...' commandments of the powerful Presbyterian Church-sponsored Mizoram People's Forum (MPF), are canvassing through sms.

SMS with campaign slogans have replaced road shows with singers, noisy street campaigns, public meetings and door-to-door campaigns.

This year's electioneering is extremely low-key in the absence of colourful and noisy campaigning, as no political party dares to violate a plethora of 'thou shall not' diktat's of the MPF.

The MPF, an organisation sponsored by the Presbyterian Church in which all the major churches excluding the Baptist Church and the Salvation Army, main NGOs and political parties are represented, is for political and electoral reforms aiming at cleaner and less expensive campaigns.

The campaigning may be low-key as desired by the MPF, but may not be inexpensive as more mobile handsets and SIM cards are issued to party workers and supporters to reach out to voters.

One political party is reported to have purchased hundreds of handsets, each costing Rs 1,500 to be distributed among party workers, especially in the rural areas.

Sale of SIM cards and mobile handsets have drastically gone up in Aizawl, according to some mobile phone dealers.

A candidate says," Since door-to-door campaigns are no more allowed, SMS are an alternative method, it saves time and money ."

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) formed by the Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) claims that it is the first political organisation in the country to have launched mobile phone group news.

Lallianchhunga, spokesman of the UDA says, "The UDA News helps us maintain the alliance's solidarity apart from sharing information across the state including remote areas."

Thousands of people have joined the UDA News for which subscription is free, Lallianchhunga said, adding that, people could get the policies of the UDA and latest political developments in the state.

As farmers in the rural areas are busy harvesting rice in their jhums at this time of the year, all are likely to see text messages, unlike the last elections when candidates and campaigners took the trouble to pay them a visit.

Electronic media has also stepped into the political arena as a referee, presenting the candidates to constituents through television interviews.

Rural Development Minister H Vanlalauva says that though the use of electronic media for reaching out to the voters is an experiment, but it may be an effective way to reach out to the voters.

Vanlalauva, however, admits that he misses the traditional way of door-to-door campaign when he can physically reach out to his constituents and meet them face to face.