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.
However, he said with the new guidelines being issued by the EC, the use of social media, SMS and caller tunes would be subjected to scrutiny by the Commission. Hassan, said the new web page of the UDF would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday. The Congress had set a target of 3,000 online volunteers in the state and had also imparted training based on the module prepared by the Congress media cell headed by Ajay Maken.
Recently, the website of the KPCC was made bilingual by adding Malayalam to it. Meanwhile, LDF, both the CPM and the CPI, have asked their cadre through its district committees to be ‘active’ online and to utilise the potential of social networking sites. “Already, cadres who are active on social networking platforms are extending their support to the CPM.”
It was the Left who supported the open and free software movement in the country and many youngsters who were part of it are from the state. They are also leading the anti-Modi campaign online. Our effort will be to consolidate these Left supporters in the social media space,” said CPM central committee member Thomas Isaac. While, BJP is planning to cash in on the NaMo effect on the social media in the hope of opening the party’s electoral account in state.