Memes, videos and WhatsApp groups, candidates ramp up digital campaigning ahead of Tamil Nadu civic polls

From putting out posters and creating videos on civic issues, to conducting virtual interactions and meeting with the voters, candidates tried new ways to adapt to the modern times.

Political leaders, including Chief Minister M K Stalin, have been busy with virtual campaigns over the past few days. In the virtual campaigns, party functionaries are made to gather at a venue to listen to their leaders speak to them online.

The DMK’s IT wing, known for coming out with unique social media tags for each election, has now taken to the ‘Ullatchiyilum Malaratum Namma Aatchi’ slogan.

The party functionaries have been using the tags and campaigning for the polls listing out the various welfare activities done by the party in a short term. Further, the party advertisements are spread across social media channels like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram apart from those appearing in the newspapers.

Meanwhile, BJP president K Annamalai during the event to introduce the candidates on February 7 stressed on the importance of using social media. He told his party men that there should be hard work and smart work in the polls.

“Make use of modern technology, use them to build relationships with the public. Make an effort to call each and every voter in your ward. Share all your welfare activities on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram. The party should grow and for that, we should win more votes, you should emerge victorious,” he said.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the door-to-door campaign is also limited this time. The candidates attempt to grab the voters’ attention through social media channels.

For Paul Pradeep N, a Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) candidate contesting from ward 155, social media campaigning for the local body elections was easier since he was already a part of the digital campaigns for the party during the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2020 Assembly elections.

“Having worked in social media campaigns earlier, I knew what I had to do this time. But for this election, the target audience is very specific, only in my ward. This was a special task for us to do,” he said.

Paul said that over the last few weeks, he and his team created short reels and videos that were circulated on WhatsApp and other platforms like Instagram. Apart from that, Paul also tied up with an influencer to produce a YouTube video to raise awareness against the cash for votes system. He also had his friends and family send testimonial videos that were circulated.

“We did not do the video in the mainstream format to explain to people why cash for votes is a bad idea. Instead, we created a prank show, where we went to different houses in our locality and asked them to vote for cash and see their reaction. We then explained why it was wrong. This video worked well for us,” he added.

WhatsApp emerged as the new and most used political platforms to reach voters during the urban local body polls.

An AIADMK functionary involved in campaigning across Tambaram said, “We reach the voters through WhatsApp. We ask them to provide their numbers when we visit their houses for the voters’ verification lists. After receiving them, we add them to our ward association group in which we used to send all the initiatives we have done for the ward and also the things we have planned to do if we get elected. The response has been pretty quick. As soon as we send a message, the members reply to them,” an AIADMK functionary involved in campaigning in areas around Tambaram corporation said. The Tambaram area is facing the elections for the first time after being upgraded as a corporation.

In most WhatsApp groups, information, including the candidates’s statements, documents on party’s achievements etc are shared. Those in the group in turn forward them to their contacts.

Paul, too, agreed that WhatsApp was the most preferred medium used to reach voters at Ramapuram.

“We usually find one or two residents from a particular apartment who are our supporters and will vote for us. We create a group with them and would send them messages, videos, audio messages and they would then forward our messages on their flat groups,” Paul said.

R Chandrasekar, an Independent candidate, who is contesting from ward number 47 in Tambaram said WhatsApp is their main source of communication to the voters.

“We have these WhatsApp groups that have been active over the past three years. Close to 1,000 people are a part of them. Although I was not an elected councillor, I used to immediately respond to the issues in our area, take them to the officials and put my maximum effort to get them resolved soon. We may not meet each and every ward member on a daily basis but we can connect to them through mobile. Now, I am just sharing the welfare initiatives in the group I had done in all these years. It’s no more about an Independent candidate or any other person nominated on behalf of a party. The voters are smart, they know whom to vote for and who will come to help them immediately,” Chandrasekar said.

Explaining why digital campaigns work, Paul said, “What social media and digital platforms do to us is that they give us a wide reach. Everyone is on their phones these days, especially the youngsters. So, I was able to connect with them.”

Kamakshi Subramanian, 94, who is contesting as an Independent candidate from ward 174 (Adyar and Besant Nagar) and her team also took to social media to campaign for her.

Dr T D Babu, a core member of her team said, “Since Kamakshi paati (grandmother) was able to go out to campaign only once, apart from in-person campaigning, we capitalised on platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube. We created a video for her and shared it to people on WhatsApp along with e-flyers. We also sent out messages of our campaign promises.”

He said, “WhatsApp helped people to know who Kamakshi Subramaniyan is. When we went in person to connect with the voters, they already knew who she was, thanks to social media.”

Kamakshi herself called up a few residents and spoke to them personally. “In today’s times, there is so much that we can do using the latest technology. We used that to campaign well. However, for me, there is nothing that can be compared to in-person campaigns. Only when they see the person, voters can connect.”

Paul agreed too and said, “While social media can have great advantages, I still prefer in-person campaigns because people want to know who you are and want that personal touch. So physical campaigns were a part of my plan and I personally went and connected with every voter.”