The advancement of technology has changed the face of the world. No sphere of human life is untouched by it. The unpredictable and the unfathomable power of the popular social media networks across the globe is a revolution in itself. Much was said and heard about the role of social media networks during the Arab Unrest. The people involved in the Arab Unrest may have certainly felt the real might of the social media platforms such as the Facebook, Google Hangout, and the Twitter etc. Even during the presidential election campaigns in the USA in 2012, the role of the social media platforms got the due attention of the people there.
However, for the people residing in India, the role of the social media wasn’t very apparent until the declaration of the result of the Parliamentary elections in 2014. And, what further makes the election scenario in India different from that of the USA is the popularity of WhatsApp. Besides the social media platforms such as the Google Hangout, Twitter, and Facebook etc; the role of WhatsApp was recognized as one of the real game changer.
Almost every internet user in India was well familiar with the social media presence of the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Mr. Narendra Modi. Also, it was apparently clear that he led a huge host of fans and followers. Perhaps, Mr. Modi had been quite a great foreseer of the might of the social Media, and made it one of the integral parts of his election campaigns. However, not every voter or the politician could realize the social media might until the results of the 2014 General Election. What the experts opine is that the role of WhatsApp proved to be quite a great game changer of the election in India. Today, there isn’t a single politician in India that does not desire to reap the benefits of WhatsApp and the other social media. Yes, it is altogether a different matter that not all politicians in India are well versed in using WhatsApp and Social media platforms.
Gone are the days when the speeches of the politicians from the high platforms used to be the sole means of moving the opinion of the voters. Today, the voters may hear the loud loudspeakers, but at the same time, they keep scrolling their Smartphone and share their political views and opinions through WhatsApp or the other social media platforms. The chances are high that the loud voices from the high platform may remain suppressed under the clandestine sharing of political opinions through WhatsApp and social media sites.
WhatsApp, along with other social media platforms, has today come up as one of the most powerful mediums to move the political opinions in India. By disseminating the messages, organizing the campaign volunteers, and estimating the polling, etc, the use of WhatsApp has added a new chapter in the political scenario of the country. The increasing popularity of WhatsApp is believed to play still a far greater role in mobilizing the political opinions and the messages amidst the Indian voters.