MAPUSA
As the traditional campaigning phase for the parliamentary election in Goa drew to a close on Sunday evening, political parties turned to the virtual arena, leveraging the expansive reach of social media to connect with voters and shape the narrative of the election.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) have all recognised the potency of digital platforms and have engaged in fervent digital campaigns to sway potential voters.
The BJP's State Convenor for Social Media, Rupesh Kamat highlighted the monumental impact of social media in reaching both new and seasoned voters rapidly.
"The reach of social media is huge. We can tap a new voter as well as a well-entrenched and experienced voter through various social media platforms in the shortest possible time," Kamat emphasised.
The BJP's strategic approach to digital campaigning includes a dedicated cadre of 400 individuals, with 200 assigned to South Goa and 200 to North Goa, actively managing the party's social media campaign in the State.
Kamat revealed that the BJP boasts an impressive online following, with approximately 1.5 lakh followers on Facebook and a significant presence on Instagram.
Additionally, the party has established a robust WhatsApp network, facilitating the dissemination of messages within seconds.
Contrary to allegations of disseminating false propaganda, Kamat maintained the BJP's commitment to transparency and authenticity in their digital campaign efforts.
"Our focus was on creating videos of party meetings and achievements," Kamat clarified, dismissing claims of utilising Artificial Intelligence to manipulate videos.
In response to the BJP's social media prowess, the Congress has intensified its digital campaign, striving to match the saffron brigade's digital footprint.
Divya Kumar, responsible for handling the social media campaign for Congress in the State, emphasised a positive approach devoid of religious references or controversies.
"We focused on placing facts on social media platforms and exposing the failures of the BJP government," Kumar asserted.
With a team of eight individuals and block-wise coordinators dedicated to social media management, the Congress has garnered a substantial online following, with 3.75 lakh followers on Facebook and 34,000 followers on the microblogging platform 'X' (formerly Twitter).
Kumar reiterated the party's commitment to authenticity, asserting, "There was not a single fake propaganda in our social media campaign."
Similarly, the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) has capitalised on social media to expand its outreach to voters.
Gaurish Mandrekar, RGP's North Goa Chief, emphasised the pivotal role of social media in engaging youth members and disseminating campaign messages.
With 1.07 lakh followers on Facebook and 16,500 on Instagram, the RGP has effectively utilised digital platforms to amplify its presence.
As the campaign intensifies on social media platforms, political parties in Goa are employing innovative strategies to sway voters ahead of the parliamentary election scheduled for May7.
