Pol parties splurge money to unleash social media blitzkrieg ahead of polls

Hyderabad: Contestants from the ruling Congress and opposition BRS and BJP were splurging money on poll surveys and social media campaigns against their rivals in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Telangana. The candidates were hiring independent survey teams to ascertain their winning prospects on a daily basis and chalking out the campaign strategy accordingly. The social media groups were providing guidance to candidates on engaging with voters via social media platforms and launching negative campaigns against their opponents in the election.

In the wake of the increasing triangle fight between the three parties in the elections, the party candidates were jittery that their winning prospects would be affected due to fast-changing political developments, mainly the poaching of the leaders by rivals in every Lok Sabha segment. Congress leaders said that the party candidate and former BRS MP Ranjeet Reddy from Chevella hired a big group of social media experts and experts in the poll surveys to ensure his victory for the second consecutive time. Similarly, the party leadership was also sending alerts to the contestants on the rival party poll strategy and its activities on a daily basis.

"Rich candidates are spending huge money on hiring survey teams and social media groups for effective poll campaigns. The potential contestants are investing not less than Rs 2–3 crore on surveys and social media exclusively in the ensuing election".

The BRS leadership asked the party candidates to create social media teams at village level and take up an intensified campaign against the Congress government and its failure in the implementation of the promises made during the elections. Special social media groups on Facebook, Instagram, and X were busy posting messages against the Congress by exposing the rival party candidates. The State level social media groups were monitoring every political activity and alerted the party candidates to take up issue-based campaigns on selected issues and educate people on how the Congress deceived the voters in the last Assembly elections.

The BJP was also heading fast on social media by targeting the Congress and BRS candidates in the selected segments where the saffron party is struggling to win the election.

The party has pinpointed certain Lok Sabha constituencies where the chances of winning appear dim and has dispatched dedicated social media groups and survey teams to sway voter perception intermittently. Leaders have mentioned that these surveys will continue until polling day on May 13.