This is why Social Media is now Preferred for Election Campaigning

March 28: Social media has now turned into a platform for surveys by a few local channels. The political parties and candidates in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are making efforts to show their presence on social media in order to tempt the public to cast their votes in their favour.
Several ways are being engaged to connect with different target groups. Videos are being made either to support a particular political party or to take on an opponent. The candidates routinely share videos, photographs of their campaign and their visits to different places of worship. Social media has proved to be the more effective medium due to its huge audience and followers. Candidates are using various means of social media to connect with the public.
With the number of ‘likes’ and ‘followers’, Congress-JD(S) candidates lag behind BJP candidates in the two districts. BJP candidate from Udupi-Chikmagalur candidate Shobha Karandlaje has highest followers (1,65,169) on Facebook. Similarly, Congress- JD(S) candidate from Dakshina Kannada, Mithun Rai is being projected as ‘voice of youth’ in the posts on Facebook page. Dakshina Kannada BJP candidate MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, has been highlighting the welfare schemes of the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The videos on corruption-free India under the leadership of Modi, how tax exemption announced in the budget benefitted Rs 5 lakh salaried class people, benefits of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samruddhi yojane and so on have been posted. Videos of Prime Minister Modi addressing people on different occasions are being posted in order to seek votes for the BJP.
Deputy Commissioner and District Returning Officer of Dakshina Kannada Sasikanth Senthil said that the authorities are keeping a strict vigil on social media. The political parties have been sensitised on adhering to the model code of conduct. He even urged the public to refrain from posting any inflammatory details on social media. Campaigning on social media without seeking permission from the candidate is considered as an offence. The DC has warned of filing an FIR on the basis of inflammatory contents published on social media.