In a southern suburb of Chennai, Vengaivasal, residents get to know some of their independent candidates in the upcoming rural local bodies election, with just one tap on their mobile phones. These are candidates fielded by the Vengaivasal residents’ welfare associations in an effort to bring in changes in the locality.
The digital campaign was designed by one of the candidates, to give details about the four independent candidates and their manifestos, with a tap on social media icons. The idea is to avoid door-to-door campaign during the pandemic.
T. Senthil Kumar, one of the candidates and a resident of Santhosapuram, said: “We have designed campaign posters that are being communicated through WhatsApp. Voters just have to tap on various social media icons on the posters to know about the team of candidates, manifesto and campaign. They can even connect with the candidates directly and provide their suggestions or grievances.”
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Data on members was collected through various residents’ welfare associations in the locality. “We have reached out to 6,000 families through our digital campaign so far. There are nearly 22,600 voters in the area. This is an attempt towards a paperless campaign. We want to create awareness on the significance of voting in local body elections,” he said.
The candidates campaign in autorickshaws in the area. The associations have chosen two former councillors to be fielded among the four independent candidates.
The team is contesting for the posts of president and ward members in the Vengaivasal village panchayat.
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