They are reading more, working on their one-liners, choosing the colours of the kurta to match the background, and in the case of the Congress party, ensuring they are the first to contact Ambika Soni, convener of the media cell. The purposefulness is everywhere: in the Congress, 40 spokespersons from all over the country had a two-day lesson on how to put their best face forward. Some useful tips: lose the stubble, junk the paan and look into the camera while speaking. In the BJP, workers will soon be monitoring 14 hours of 10 news channels every day to see who said what to whom and how well, even sending report cards at the end of the day.

If for nothing else, E-2004 will be remembered for making politicians television-savvy. They are analysing their own shows-when you call up new entrant Satyavrat Chaturvedi's home, the Congress spokesman is busy watching himself on a 24-hour news channel debate. They are keeping tabs on falling TRPs and rationing their appearances accordingly. Some are taking advice from television professionals on flattering angles, right lighting and make-up. Others are choosing their opponents with care. Kapil Sibal of the Congress, for instance, refuses to appear on a show where he will have to respond to the BJP's Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who has been known to storm out of the studio if he feels questioners are biased.

The days of pure punditry on TV are truly over. Instead, it is all about drama. With just one minute of TV fame, politicians are thinking of 10-second soundbites. They are also embracing the grooming revolution. Take the 12 African safari shirts that arrive from South Africa every year for Congress spokesman Anand Sharma, who says he has become a celebrity for his neighbours. Or the bright kurtas that Amar Singh picks up from friends Ritu Beri, Manav Gangwani and Abu-Sandeep ("because you can't wear Armani suits to a TV studio'').

Even the non-partying spokespersons are choosing their clothes with care: Prakash Javadekar, who spent "many years'' as Maharashtra BJP spokesman, invested in about 50 FabIndia kurtas when he was moved to Delhi as party spokesman. Anita, wife of Congress' Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has located a tailor for her husband's summer stock of linen shirts.

As in entertainment, television channels have worked out their own hit jodis. So a Mani Shankar Aiyar is ideally paired with Balbir Punj (both believe in hard talk), while Sibal usually faces off against Arun Jaitley. Big fights are simulated even on non-issues and though not all opponents can match Mallika Sherawat's waistline, they certainly try to outdo her wit. Not only do the spokespersons cross swords with their opponents, but also with each other. Congressmen accuse a Delhi lawyer with a penchant for Page Three parties of calling up TV channels to invite himself while another better known lawyer insists he is being sidelined.

Even the BJP which seems like a force on fire has its simmering feuds. Its stars have strong opinions on each other, which they keep to themselves-and their cronies. But its media cell is forever in overdrive and has an advantage in party President M. Venkaiah Naidu's omnipresence. His enthusiasm in speaking Hindi always makes up for his fairly loose grasp of it.

Now if only such perfect made-for-TV packaging could win votes.