Election campaign vehicles of politicians undergo revamp in Kovai, set to hit road soon

For this election season, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam may soon commence their campaign in these refurbished tempos. 

Their campaign vehicles are currently assembled at Koya’s and Sons in Coimbatore. “The vehicles of both the leaders have been undergoing modifications as they are fitted with hydraulic platforms, sunroofs, LED lights, in-built toilets and facilities to provide a smooth ride,” said PV Mohammed Riaz, managing partner of Koyas and Sons. 

Over 50 workers are working on the leaders’ vehicles round-the-clock to deliver them in a few days. Before every election, the campaign vehicles of M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa would make their way to Koyas for customization. 

“One of the unique features of Karunanidhi’s vehicle is his motorised wheelchair. He also used to watch television on the move. So his vehicle was fitted with a satellite connection. Similarly, the hydraulic lift with a revolving seat is the highlight in Jayalalithaa’s campaign vehicle,” Riaz said. 

He considers the appreciation from both the leaders through their party men to be one of the biggest credits to his dedicated work. Stalin used to personally oversee the refurbishing works done on the vehicle of his father, while Sasikala, used to take care of refurbishing ‘Amma’s’ vehicle.

But for this election, vehicles of both the stalwarts would be given a miss. Only the vehicles of EPS and OPS have come so far for a revamp. Two other tempos, which were used by J Jayalalithaa, in addition to her main campaign vehicle has been stationed for regular maintenance at the workshop. “We expect a few more vehicles as elections are fast approaching. The DMK leader MK Stalin’s already refurbished vehicle needs just an overhauling and may come anytime soon,”he said. 

Having been into this business for over 50 years, the firm has been a preferred destination for not just politicians from Tamil Nadu, but also for neta’s from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to get their vehicles refurbished. Simple revamp takes about two weeks and it may take more than two months for a complete re-modelling. “As politicians spend an entire day campaigning, we ensure that they get maximum comfort,” said Riaz. “In the coming days, vehicles of other political parties are also likely to come for refurbishing in Coimbatore.”