In Telangana, when it’s election time, we usually hear drums and see colorful flags, and big banners everywhere as if it’s a festival. But this time, things are different. The need for these usual campaign things, like flags and banners, has gone down a lot – almost 60-70 percent less. Why? Well, it’s because of social media.
Imagine being a drum player, excited for elections, but then not many people want your drums this time. This is happening with flags, banners, and other campaign stuff too. They are the biggest losers due to the rise of social media election campaigning.
Many vendors who used to supply things for political campaigns reminisce about a time when individual candidates would spend a hefty Rs 5 lakh on campaign items. Today, that figure has drastically dropped to a range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
The demand for election accessories, including loudspeakers, flags, banners, and badges, continues to decline by 10-15% each year. Even during the peak election season, suppliers report selling more flags during Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations than during political campaigns.
Instead of spending lots of money on physical things, candidates are turning to social media. They can talk to people directly, and it costs less. Memes, voice messages, and videos on social media have become a cool way to tell people about the elections.
With just a week left for voting, we’re not seeing big rallies or candidates going door-to-door with drums and cars. Why? Because they are talking to voters on social media. It’s like the whole game has moved online.
