Maharashtra polls: Parties take social media route to woo voters

Mumbai, Oct 9: Taking a cue from the success of BJP's online campaign in Lok Sabha election, the other parties have opened up their war chest to spend on social media to expand the reach of their mass contact campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls.

The NCP, staring at a massive anti-incumbency factor, is using the platform of social media to showcase the development work done by it in 15 years of power in the state. [Follow complete coverage of Maharashtra assembly elections 2014]

"We have realised that social media is the best way to reach out to youths, who account for nearly 55 per cent of India's population. NCP has started using this medium extensively now to reach out to our voters," party's chief media co-ordinator Ravikant Varpe told PTI.

A specialised team of people has been put on the job to constantly monitor any negative trend towards the party, Varpe said. "The media cell ensures that we rectify our mistakes and make amendments to eliminate the negative perception in the minds of people," said the 28-year-old NCP leader.

NCP is taking special care to strategise the content and timing of television advertisements to counter those by rival political parties, he said.

"Parties are using TV ads to spread false propaganda. TV is used as a medium to showcase only the negatives of the state. They say the state is lagging behind in terms of economic and social development and that we did nothing when we were in power. But the people should know what the truth is.

"Our ads will show how Maharashtra has developed economically and progressed on social indices in the last decade of our governance," Varpe said.

PTI