The `Volunteers for Manmohan' (VFM), as the group is called, is being coordinated by the Singh's family members, two of his three daughters, their husbands and Singh's wife. Says economist-daughter Damandeep: "We are planning a very scientific campaign that will use computers, telephones, cellphones, wireless...everything short of hiring a helicopter to get people to vote for him.''

The list of those who are supporting Singh's candidature reads like a who's who list of the intelligentsia and chatteratti of South Delhi: writer Kushwant Singh, painter Anjolie ElaMenon, economists Surjit Bhalla, Abid Hussain, TERI director RK Pachauri and ICRIER head Isher Judge Ahuluwalia to name a few. The volunteers also include lecturers from Delhi University colleges, including Delhi School of Economics (where Singh was professor) and St Stephen's College (where his eldest daughter and son-in-law teach), doctors from the Indian Medical Association, bankers from some multi-national banks, students and friends of this third daughter (who live abroad).

The VFM had its first meeting last Sunday, were other than the core group of 12 members, there were about 150 volunteers. This Sunday they hope to have more than doubled their number of supporters.

"The idea is to form a collective of people who will carry out a door-to-door campaigns and get their friends and acquaintances to come out and vote," says Ahuluwalia.

The VFM campaign will carry on in parallel with the Congress party's political campaign. Singh, in fact, will not be spending too much time with the VFM, instead hewill be following the agenda set for him by the party. "Our strategy is to attract the upper class and intellectual voters, who have been apathetic and general shy away from going to the polling booth," says finance analyst Amarjeet Banerjee. "South Delhi is a constituency which has a large chunk of upper class voters, who look for people with value in politics, and this is that candidate,'' he adds.

The VFM will also contact voters over telephone and on the polling day try and ensure that they cast their ballot.

The VFM feels that since the voter turnout in South Delhi was amongst the lowest in Delhi, they have to drum up enough enthusiasm to ensure that the stamp is put on the ballot paper. None of the volunteers have any experience in handling politics, though they are experts in their fields, says Ahuluwalia.

Singh's residence number has become the official line for the VFM. Persons who want to volunteer to campaign can call on this line and there is someone always to answer the phone and take downthe words of support offered by the caller. At the end of every day, Damandeep puts down each name, address and words of support expressed by the callers into a bulletin and distributes them to not only VFM members but also to the party campaign managers.