CHANDIGARH: With Punjab being a top performer with 84.32 internet subscribers per 100 population, as per the NITI Aayog Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) India Index 2020-21 report, all parties are in ‘war mode’ on their social media platforms to reach out to 1.50 crore of the total 2.15 crore voters.
What is more, over 65% of voters in Punjab are under 35 years of age. On the campaign calendar of almost all parties are digital rallies; the first one is by Rahul Gandhi due in Jalandhar on Jan 27.
The social media war rooms of political parties are abuzz with specialists with a dedicated team of content writers in various languages.
Teams of creative experts, young techies, graphic designers, audio-video experts, artists and editors are bringing in a new dimension to the polls.
These war rooms have capabilities like geo-tagging and geo-fencing on the back of data analytics, making digital canvassing a thrilling exercise. Himanshu Pathak, founder and managing director of Get Known, runs a social media war room of a political party.
“We have gone digital to reach the last-mile using immersive technology,” says Pathak.
The social media war room of the Congress with a 35-member team is working from a two-floor office located in Mohali. Gaurav Pandhi, Congress’ national coordinator, digital communications and social media, said the party’s first digital rally on January 27 will be telecast on various social media platforms.
He said there are about 15,000 WhatsApp groups in which the party would reach more than 15 lakh people.
Shiromani Akali Dal’s IT wing head Nashattar Singh Gill says the party did the first virtual rally near Chandigarh recently.
“We have created 23,000 WhatsApp groups,’’ Gill said.
SAD has come out with online campaigns #LiesofKejriwal, #FakeDelhiModel, Gurantian Da Jaal Hai, Jhootha Kejriwal Hai’, targeting AAP and also hitting out at the ruling Congress.
Punjab BJP IT cell in-charge Rakesh Goyal says the party has appointed social media heads in all 117 Assembly constituencies.
A senior state AAP leader said the ECI guidelines are most suited for the party.
“We have the largest social media network with a team of professionals. We have made a WhatsApp group to link up with booth-level workers.’’
