Bhubaneswar: In the run-up to the general election for Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly, political parties have expanded their outreach strategies to target younger demographics through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and X.
Alongside conventional methods like advertisements and publicity materials, there’s a growing trend among parties especially BJD and BJP to harness the reach of social media influencers to shape public opinion and secure votes.
However, the BJD has remained ahead in this race as the party has hired many of such personalities from Odisha.
Dubbed ‘new strategy’ and an extended form of their ‘IT cells’, the creation of narratives on social media can sway voters significantly, especially when troll pages and influencers with large followings are roped in a big way, admit insiders in political parties.
In a bid to pocket the votes of youth and ‘Gen-Z’ voters coming into the foray this time, the two political parties are leaving no stone unturned in turning this festival of democracy into a festival of memes in a bid to reach the youth voters of the country, who come in staggeringly game changing percentages.
The social media influencers are posting messages and uploading videos on their platforms, urging everyone to vote for the particular party.
Social media seems to have transformed the very nature of elections and campaigns, offering a place for news, discourse and election information as heat wave conditions make it difficult for parties, or candidates, to carry out effective outdoor canvassing.
The BJD and BJP have tapped those influencers with a sizable fan base as an effective medium to reach out to millennial youth voters and push their messages.
For example, social media influencers Rashmita Dash and Neha Panigrahi Dash – popular for their ‘Meals on Wheel Car Khana’- joined BJP and have started promoting the party on social media.
Several Odia film personalities such as Babushaan Mohanty, Amlan Das, Swaraj Barik, Sailendra Samantaray, Bhoomika Dash, Supriya Nayak, Sivani Sangita, Devasis Patra, Jyoti Ranjan Nayak and Poonam Mishra recently called on BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik at the latter’s residence.
The social media influencers are seen sharing videos about the BJD-led state government’s flagship initiatives like the Srimandir Parikrama project, 5T School Transformation, disaster management, Baramunda Bus Terminal, Mission Shakti café, sports development et al on various platforms which have reached thousands of their followers.
Similarly, the influencers roped in by the BJP candidates are promoting what the concerned MLA or MP has done for his/her area during the last five years.