Social media emerging as force multiplier for newcomers in J&K election battle

Social media has emerged as a major dissemination and campaigning tool for political parties during the ongoing assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir, even creating ‘ripple effect’ for some Independents or newer candidates like Sarjan Barkati and those associated with Engineer Rashid led Awami Itihad Party.

All the big and small political parties across Jammu and Kashmir are using social media like platforms like Facebook, ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to reach out to people.

While the bigger parties like BJP, Congress, NC and the PDP have designated media teams to propagate their messages, the random sharing of videos and speeches of leaders by smaller parties like Awami Ittehad Party led by Engineer Rashid or help from local netizens to candidates like Sarjan Barkati (who is in Jail) and his children have helped them reach larger audience.

“They (smaller parties and individuals) definitely have used social media to their advantage. It is working for them as well. They are able to rally more people and assemble more people. But they are not able to engage people in serious dialogue on social media,” said Rouf Bhat, a media researcher and academician.

Bhat said that bigger regional parties like NC and PDP are able to engage with people to some extent.

“Smaller parties just post things while NC and PDP have young activist teams who post and then react to people engaging with the content. It is missing in other cases like in Er Rashid and Barkati case, it is more random,” he said.

The NC and the PDP have a much more extensive process to target and engage with their audience frequently especially on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Besides sharing, the teams re-share the content favourable to them, respond to criticism and attack the adversaries over issues.

“Our social media are mainly focussed on countering the fake narrative spread against J&K and the party by a very heavily biased national media. We can’t fight the might, money of the BJP, but we can speak the truth out loud. That is all any opposition party in India can do, and that is what we do,” said Ifra Jan, social media and digital platforms in-charge of NC.

Many Independent candidates at an individual level are using social media to run their campaigns; especially the focus is on youth and the first time voters.

“In this age, social media is a big platform to reach out to people, especially the voters of my constituency. It’s a potent weapon now-a-days,” said one of the prominent candidates in Baramulla segment. “I have a dedicated team which is generating social media content,” he said.

Peoples Conference spokesman Adnan Ashraf also agreed that in these assembly or the previous Lok Sabha elections the campaigning modes have completely changed. “Now social media messages can reach every individual and household through mobile phones,” he said, adding that this is the reason why political parties are giving special focus on social media.

The BJP also has a social media team which is generating social media content and videos targeting three former chief ministers-- Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah. The party’s main focus is on Jammu where it hopes to emerge as the single largest party like in 2014.

The Congress is using social media in a more traditional way. It has formed small videos which are promoted through different channels of communication. Senior Congress leader Salman Soz said that Congress has taken several initiatives to reach out to people. “We are now holding regular press conferences,” he said.