Going digital | Kerala leaders embrace technology as elections near

Politicians have roped in vloggers and have even started using AI tools as digital campaigning heats up ahead of local and Assembly elections.

Thiruvananthapuram: From vloggers to trollers, political parties and politicians in Kerala have started strengthening their digital campaign machinery as the local body and Assembly polls are approaching.

While personal branding by politicians could be seen increasing on social media platforms, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government is even hiring popular vloggers to boost the promotion.

Apart from well established digital marketing firms, netizens who frequently post critical posts against any particular party or politician are also getting attractive offers from the rival camps.

Kerala is heading for the local body election this year and the Assembly election is due to happen before 2026 May.

Video reels of sitting MLAs' and MLA aspirants interacting with people and getting involved in public service are being increasingly posted on social media. Some politicians are even learnt to be taking grooming advice and undergoing makeovers like changing spectacles and hair styles.

In a latest step for strengthening its social media promotions, the Pinarayi Vijayan government is setting up a panel of popular vloggers for its promotional activities. Applications are invited from vloggers with over three lakh followers.

The government could be quite cautious in vloggers' selection as it recently faced embarrassment after vlogger Jyothi Malhotra, who was earlier engaged by the state tourism department for promotion,  was held for spying for Pakistan.

"The initial focus of the ruling left front seems to be on promoting the government's achievements, whereas the opposition parties are trying to counter it with trolls. Once the candidate selections are done, there will be aggressive personal branding. Most politicians are now indulging in personal branding either with the help of professional agencies or with the help of techsavy supporters," says digital promotion consultant Febin Muhammed.

Muhammed also points out that trends now are video trolls based on popular film scenes. "It is sarcasm that often grabs more attention in social media," he said.

What's brewing in the rival camps?

It seems the political parties are also keenly observing the developments in the rival camps. While Congress sources said that the CPI(M) has already created at least two dozen of new digital channels including Youtube channels aimed at the election propaganda, CPI(M) sources said that aggressive personal campaign by Congress leaders is an indication of the infight for seats in the offing.

The Congress is learnt to be working out a strategy of attracting the apolitical youths. There will be direct involvement of poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu in Congress's social media campaigns.

The BJP, which is having a strong social media wing, could be stepping up its attack against the Congress-CPI(M) bipolar politics that Kerala had been witnessing over the years as well as the CPI(M)-Congress tie up at the Centre.

While the scope of artificial intelligence (AI) could be used by political parties, the CPI(M) could be cautious in using AI as party state secretary M V Govindan had openly flayed AI.

As the digital war intensifies, it is digital creators who mint money. There are hearsays that some politicians in Kerala are spending up to Rs 10 lakh per month for personal digital promotion, including grooming.