Social Media Modi-Fication: Narendra Modi’s Use of Social Media in Indian Elections 2014

Abstract

Title: Social Media Modi-fication: Narendra Modi's use of Social Media in Indian Elections 2014 Research objectives: In an unprecedented rise to power Right Wing Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate, Naredra Modi, now Prime Minister of India, used social media strategies to advance his campaign to the masses. From using 3D holograms at political rallies to caller tunes and SMSs’ Modi and his Media team used social media platforms to keep the buzz alive as he shunted through the country on a whirlwind tour conducting 477 rallies as part of his election campaign. Modi and his men undertook direct interaction with 814 million of the total electorate with close contender Rahul Gandhi clocking only 133 million in comparison. The 3D hologram rallies alone reached 14 million people and SMS WhatsApp and other social media platforms were used to contact 130 million people. At the end of the day with 3.9 million followers on Twitter, 13 million Facebook likes and the same number of YouTube downloads, Social Media drove the Modi campaign to success giving him a clear majority over other rivals in the General Elections 2014. Methodology: Primary: Interviews with media and resource persons involved in the campaign and its coverage. Secondary: Data collection and analysis of Social Media Activity of Narendra Modi Conclusion: Through data analysis, interactions with media covering him and with party media heads, the paper will seek to determine the role of Social Media in Modi’s success and assess its potential as a game changer

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Author Information
Shirin Abbas, Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, India
AK Singh, Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, India

• Category: Social Media and Communication Technology

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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