Be it the price issue or changing of chief ministers, the lines though short are far from being sweet. Says a BJP party worker, ``Slogans are like spice. Without them the elections would be like boiled vegetables.''

And with the Election Commission issuing a strict limit for election expenditure, slogans are being considered the mainstay rather than expensive posters or hoardings. Still at the printing presses, a sneak preview into some of them set the flavour for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

BJP has been given a new meaning by the Congress smart alecs: B se Bijli, J se Jal, P se Pyaaz. Price rise, as expected, being the favourite issue: Mehngai nahin loot hai, Bhajpa ki choot hai and Jago or Jagao, Nikkami sarkar bhagao. It is free for all at their best.

Sheila Dikshit has written a letter to beposted to all corners of the city. The letter is also being distributed by hand. The three-page letter called Do shabd: Padhiye aur sochiye alleges the BJP of staging a political drama every second day which in turn has misled Delhiites. She has termed their reign ``without basis, based on flighty newspaper claims and advertisement worth crores of rupees''.

In the end she apologises for extending her ``do shabd'' to many with a quick remark, ``After all, BJP's list of weaknesses and faults is so long that it was impossible to limit the length.''

On the frequent change of chief ministers, this is what the Congress have to say: Paanch saal me teen mukhyamantri, kaisi sthir sarkar, Khurana hawala me gaye, Sahib Singh kyon gaye, kya bhrasht the, nakara the kya, kya vayde pure nahin kar paye?

BJP, a little late, is still holding media committee meetings to add finishing touches to their slogans. ``We will be focussing on the achievements of the party and Sushma Swaraj,'' said V KMalhotra, the campaign incharge for BJP. One of their slogans is: Bhajpa ka nirantar prayaas, Dilli ka purna vikas.

According to party workers, all efforts will be made to show Sushma Swaraj as ``strong, gracious and a visionary''. ``Though Internet sites and electronic media will be used, we will concentrate on functional and cheap means of campaigning,'' said Malhotra.

Despite availability of the Web and television for campaigning, slogans continue to be the last word in elections.

Rajiv still sells

``Mein Rajivji ke poster ghar nahin le jatha (I do not take Rajiv Gandhi's posters home),'' announced Rajender Bhai Rahki Wala surrounded by Congressmen. The statement is met with hostile glances from delegates of Indian Youth Congress close-by.

``That is because they all get sold,'' he explains. ``His are the only posters that I get enlarged which can be sold for a higher price. Anything with his face on it sells, at any price, like badges, caps, T-shirts etc.''Comparatively there are fewer takers for posters of Sonia Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Bhagat Singh. They sell at Rs 5 each, Rajiv Gandhi's sell at Rs 20.

For the last 20 years Rajender has been selling posters of Congress leaders during elections. ``It all began one day when I saw Indiraji. I used to make rakhis before that. But since then I have only been making and selling Congress posters,'' he says.

Why not BJP posters too? ``I have made my livelihood selling Congress posters. It has fed my family. I feel loyalty to the party,'' he says from his usual place at the sidewalk near All India Congress Committee office on Akbar Road.