Darjeeling, September 15:

Leaving all their works aside, people of Darjeeling and Sikkim are busy campaigning and voting for Prashant Tamang, one of the finalists in the Indian Idol contest.

They have been voting for him through SMS and phones since 9 pm last night.

“Prashant must be the Indian Idol. I am voting for him even at night,” MB Chhetri of Darjeeling said.

Various organisations, offices and hotels in Darjeeling district have established toll-free telephone booths in different parts of the district to encourage people to vote for Prashant.

People were seen thronging to telephone booths in Darjeeling, Sonada, Mirik, Kurseong, Malbazaar and Mangpu today to vote for Prashanta.

Sushant Bharati of Rickmall in Darjeeling, who has kept 17 telephones in his toll-free booth, said people lined up outside the booth to vote for Prashant.

He said that the booth will be run for free till September 23.

Indian State Bank, ICICI Bank, Hasti Tasti Restaurant, Teachers’ Organisation, Kolkatta Police, Gram Sewa Samaj and Village Improvement Committee have set up round-the-clock toll-free telephone booths to encourage people to vote for Prashant.

Adviser to the Gram Sewa Samaj, PS Darnal, said some 10,000 people voted for Prashant from three telephones yesterday. Former council members and staffers of the Darjeeling Municipality have also set up free telephone booths in Capital Hall.

A former council member, Indra Mani Rai, said they are running game items in the hall to collect funds to help Prashant.

People from different parts of Nepal are also coming to Darjeeling to vote for Prashant. The Yuba Kala Kendra of Nepal has put up an art exhibition at Chaurasta to muster support for Prashant.

The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling, has promised to make telephone service in Darjeeling toll-free, a local journalist, Bimal Rai, said.

Calling all to vote for Prashanta, local artists have produced a cassette. This cassette is being played in every corner of Darjeeling.