Graduates’ constituency polls catch the social networking buzz

Candidates contesting parliamentary or assembly elections using social networking to reach voters may be common but now even those contesting legislative council polls are using the tool to woo voters.

Candidates contesting parliamentary or assembly elections using social networking to reach voters may be common but now even those contesting legislative council polls are using the tool to woo voters.

With the election to Mumbai graduates’ constituency to be held on July 7, Facebook pages, Twitter, blogs, Youtube videos etc. are taking the place of political rallies. For instance, while a YouTube video attracts one’s attention to the sorry state of public amenities, online messages alert the public about graduate voter registration.

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The Shiv Sena has renominated sitting legislator from Mumbai graduates’ constituency, Deepak Sawant, while the Congress-NCP are yet to decide on their candidate. The Lok Satta Party (LSP) has fielded Surendra Srivastava.

There are around 10 lakh graduates in the city but they are hardly aware that they can elect a member of legislative council (MLC). The Bombay high court earlier this month directed the Election Commission to increase the number of offices where graduates can register themselves. The order came on a public interest litigation filed by LSP.

The LSP has entered the campaign through facebook pages and a missed call campaign for awareness. Ram Ramdas, spokesperson of LSP, said: “Voters aren’t geographically concentrated, so door-to-door campaign is not possible here. Hence, we saw social networking sites as a good platform to reach educated masses.”