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Bathinda LS seat: Candidates take digital route to engage with voters
As campaigning gains momentum amid soaring temperatures in this semi-arid region of Punjab, Facebook has again emerged as the most-preferred social media platform by key candidates from the politically-significant Bathinda seat
BATHINDA : As campaigning gains momentum amid soaring temperatures in this semi-arid region of Punjab, Facebook has again emerged as the most-preferred social media platform by key candidates from the politically-significant Bathinda seat.
A study of the FB accounts of five nominees in the poll fray since April 15 indicates that their social media activities have seen a surge after their candidatures were announced.
It is for the first time that the Bathinda seat is witnessing a multi-cornered contest and of the five main contestants, four are in the fray for Lok Sabha berth for the first time.
Besides the conventional mode of electioneering of holding personal meetings in small and medium gatherings, contestants are focusing on social media.
According to independent analysts, in Punjab, Facebook has an edge over other popular platforms like Instagram and Twitter due to the its user-friendly features at the mass level.
Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the sitting, Congress’ Jeetmohinder Sidhu and Aam Aadmi Pary’s Gurmeet Singh Khuidian have verified Facebook pages. FB pages of former IAS officer Parampal Kaur Sidhu, who is BJP’s pick, and SAD (Amritsar)-backed Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, are not verified.
Meta data analysis says that since April 15, Harsimrat, the three-time MP, who is contesting for the fourth consecutive term, has registered 2.07 lakh interactions, the highest in the constituency.
Of these total interactions, 1.57 lakh were attributed to ‘likes’ given by the audience, 16,000 comments on posts of Harsimrat while 34,400 posts were shared by her virtual followers.
State agriculture minister Khudian has over 18,000 comments by his FB followers in the last 19 days of electioneering. Khudian had attained much focus after he defeated the five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on his traditional turf of Lambi segment in 2022.
Khudian’s FB page has a stamp of 56,500 interactions by the digital audience, including 36,000 reactions on the posts and account holders shared 2,300 posts.
A social media watcher, who shared the data with HT, said elements such as ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ are important on FB whereas ‘shares’ of posts indicate quantitative acceptance among the followers of the account holder.
“Like the last LS elections, candidates are focusing on social media platforms to attract voters. According to the trend, candidates and elections managers in Punjab prefer FB to reach the electorate among the rural and urban population,” said a faculty member at a Punjab-based university, who wished not to be named.
Gangster-turned-politician Sidhana, who is contesting as an Independent, has attained 56,500 interactions with online users, including 18,000 comments on the posts, while his content was shared by 2,300.
The four-time MLA from Talwandi Sabo, a constituent of Bathinda Lok Sabha, Jeetmohinder has recorded 24,000 interactions that included 6,800 comments and 2,000 shares.
Digital electioneering of BJP’s Sidhu, a political novice who joined the party on April 11, is witnessing a low pace. Her FB page to date has invited 8,100 reactions from users, including 4,200 reactions on posts, while 3,700 followers left comments on it. A total of 194 users shared content posted on her FB page.
