Panaji: With the Indian Commission (EC) forbade demonstrations until January 15, considering the surge in Covid-19 cases, political parties have begun to explore new strategies to campaign while ensuring the security of their candidates.
While door-to-door visits continue, political parties in Goa are all regulated to rely on digital campaigns more than before.
From virtual rallies and social media videos up to hundreds of groups and whatsapp memes, all options return on the image board.
While the EC said that it would review the situation on January 15 and receive calls whether to extend the ban, political parties in Goa were sure that digital was a way forward.
The third covid-19 wave peak is expected to coincide with the poll, which will be held on February 14.
Every political party has created a link that invites people to join the WhatsApp group run by party selection workers in each of the 40 assembly constituency.
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Election campaign material is being circulated in these groups, including manifesto posters, videos about election promises and, sometimes, even songs to scoff at rival candidates.
BJP has strengthened its social media team and has completed a strategy for shipping WhatsApp messages, virtual meetings, and media campaigns.
TMC is not far behind, mostly supported by election experts of the Indian Political Action Committee Prashant Kishor (I-PAC).
“Door-Door’s visit is the best way to connect with people in the traditional way, but we also see digital calls.
We will have a direct Facebook session from this weekend,” said State AAP Convener Rahul Mhambre.
Mhambre, who is a candidate Mapusa AAP, will start a direct session of Facebook Party on Saturday.
“The session will be at the level of constituency.
Every constituency will have a life session to interact with voters,” he said.
Shifting into a virtual realm began when Congress and BJP received a call to suspend a big political demonstration.
However, TMC studied his lessons in West Bengal where the assembly selection coincided with the second Covid-19 wave.
The lessons are now being applied here in Goa, said a member of the Digital Team I-PAC.
Compliance with the EC directive is one of the factors that encourage digital adoption, but concerns over the health of their party candidates also force clothing to embrace new strategies.
“We are looking at various choices.
One thing we have to do is hold a virtual demonstration and meeting.
How to do this, we still think and decide.
Our concern is for the safety of our workers and our candidates,” said Sunil Kawthankar, Secretary General of the State Congress and responsible for strategic management for elections.
Special digital teams in larger I-PAC contingents have been camping in Goa since September.
The team has anywhere between 30 and 50 members who work together with political teams not only circulating interviews and promotional charts on social media platforms but also use data analysis tools to measure their respective reach and each speaker and polling scheme.
With far more than pride at stake, it is clear that the battle of the election has moved from the village road to the digital highway.