AP leaders rely on social media blitz ahead of polls

Visakhapatnam: As Andhra Pradesh gears up for a high-stakes Assembly and LS polls battle, major political parties and their leaders have launched themselves on aggressive campaigns via the inexpensive social media that has a massive outreach.

An analysis of the top politicians' social media accounts on platforms like X, Facebook and Instagram reveals the increasingly pivotal role the digital media is playing in shaping opinions and wooing the voters.

Leading the charge is former chief minister and Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu. He boasts of a staggering 5 million ‘X’ followers and over 11,000 tweets fired from his handle.

His son Nara Lokesh has amassed nearly a million followers, with the father-son duo primarily using their formidable online presence to criticise the YSRC and its government's policies.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy commands 2.5 million followers across platforms, but is energetically leveraging social media as a medium to influence the masses. He has been using it deftly to rally his supporters, counter opposition propaganda, and showcase the government's achievements. This, though his support base is largely from the lower strata of the society.

Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister and Congress' state unit chief, Y.S. Sharmila has also taken the social media plunge, gaining over 1.5 lakh followers.

But stealing the social media thunder is actor-politician Pawan Kalyan who heads the Jana Sena. Riding high on his 5.5 million-strong following, Pawan Kalyan's political profile is now inseparable from his personal life and film career.

However, despite his huge online footprint, Pawan Kalyan has been relatively inactive compared to the other stalwarts in state politics.

For the BJP, its state leader Somu Veerraju has 36.3k followers and Daggubati Purandeswari 56.1k followers. They are leading the party's Hindutva rhetoric and causes like women empowerment in the present election campaign.

The ruling YSRC has its own battery of ministers and spokespersons like Ambati Rambabu, Kodali Nani and Roja Selvamani. They have over a lakh followers each, vigorously defending the government's policies, achievements and countering oppositions’ claims across platforms.

As political analysts suggest, this online popularity battle could well prove decisive in swaying the voters, especially the youth who are social media savvy.

However, the spectre of deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation has emerged as a double-edged sword. With leaders across party lines accusing rivals of manipulating their words and visuals, an atmosphere of mistrust looms large.

"The Andhra elections will test how effectively have parties leveraged social media to their advantage," said political analyst Suresh Kumar. "Those who are able to skilfully transform online traction into tangible votes might gain the upper hand."

In this digital era's major elections in AP, leaders with robust social media presence may have an early advantage but not necessarily the upper hand. Navigating the minefield of deepfakes and restoring voter trust are equally pivotal in this high-stakes battle for power.

.......................

1. Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena): 5.5 million followers.

2. N. Chandrababu Naidu (TD): 5 million followers.

3. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRC): 2.5 million followers.

4. Lokesh (TD): 1 million followers.

5. Y.S. Sharmila (Congress): 1.5 lakh followers.

6. Somu Veerraju (BJP): 36.3K followers.

7. D. Purandeswari (BJP): 56.1K followers.

8. N Amarnath Reddy (TD): 17.8 lakh followers.

9. Ambati Rambabu (YSRC): 1 lakh followers.

10. Kodali Nani (YSRC): 219.2K followers.

11. Roja Selvamani (YSRC): 232.8K followers.