As the first elections to be held after social media gained significant role in flashing pertinent socio-political discourses, political observers and parties attach much significance to ideas shared online which obviously rely on the zeal of youngsters. Nearly 20 lakh new voters would be using their franchise in the 2014 elections in the state and young netizens stirring political arguments on virtual scene will play a vital role. What makes it striking is that even those who maintain strict adherence to parties of their choice, tend to take a relatively independent stance online, posing new challenges to the established norm of pursuing ideological submissiveness.
“The upcoming election results will be a verdict of how young India thinks and social media will prove its immense potential in moulding free views,” said Jacob Sudheer, a young NRI, rigorously engaged in reacting online on current politics. “This is the first election wherein social media is being most widely used. Youngsters are taking special interest in posting photos and the one which got the maximum number of likes was that showing me playing cricket with youngsters amidst campaigning. A single posting on Facebook will get more range than organising thousand public meetings spending lakhs of rupees,” T Sidhique, Youth Congress leader contesting from Kasargod, said. Meanwhile, A N Shamseer, a young LDF candidate in Vadakara, said that many, especially college students, who hesitated to take part in open demonstrations, use Facebook and WhatsApp to convey support which according to him, is a real booster.
However, several first-time voters hesitated to share the enthusiasm of candidates. “Though social media is seen as an area of freedom by many, the fact is that political parties are quite vigilant to pump materials favouring them on Facebook, Twitter and the like. Comments and fake ideas pour in and unnecessary arguments cast their shadow on facts and everything gets jumbled. Hence the social media does not have the role of a free and fair space for political discourses,” said Aadarsh N C, BBM, final year student of SN College, Kannur.
Call it frivolous or incongruous, digital space is all set to play a salient role in shaping the electoral landscape of the state. Though, its impact is debatable, both the key parties have taken the poll campaign into the cyber ‘walls’ of all netizens.
The election control rooms of both UDF and the LDF in the state are abuzz with cyber warriors who are busy manoeuvring the microblogging and social messaging tools to woo young cyber voters, considered to be neutral.
“With the coordinated efforts from the AICC, we have planned many activities to carry out poll campaigns that also includes the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The poll campaigning using e-mail, SMS, caller tunes, short videos and the service of e-volunteers to promote the party and the UDF has been kickstarted,” said M M Hassan, Congress vice-president and social media campaign in charge for the Congress party.