In a move signaling the growing influence of social media in the political landscape, the Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of the Congress party, has announced plans to engage with social media influencers as part of its election campaign strategy. The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has issued a notification outlining the government's intention to provide advertisements ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹5 lakhs to eligible influencers.
To qualify for the government's advertisement scheme, social media influencers must have a minimum of 10,000 followers across platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. The DIPR will soon initiate an empanelment process to identify and select influencers who meet these criteria, with the process expected to commence within a week.
As part of the selection process, the DIPR will evaluate the engagement levels of influencers' followers over the past six months. Based on this evaluation, the influencers will be categorized into four different groups, reflecting their reach and impact on social media platforms.
The decision to collaborate with social media influencers reflects a growing trend in which politicians increasingly rely on digital platforms to convey their ideas and garner public support. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has often faced criticism for employing this strategy, the Rajasthan Government, under Congress' leadership, is now adopting a similar approach to engage with the public ahead of the forthcoming Assembly Elections.
By partnering with social media influencers, the government aims to tap into the wide reach and influence of these individuals, leveraging their online presence to disseminate its messages and policies to a larger audience. This initiative also presents an opportunity for influencers to actively participate in the political discourse and contribute to the democratic process.
As the use of social media continues to shape political campaigns, the involvement of influencers brings both benefits and challenges. While it enables political parties to connect with a broader demographic and utilize new communication channels, it also raises questions regarding the authenticity and transparency of online political discourse.
As the empanelment process commences, it remains to be seen how this collaboration between the Rajasthan Government and social media influencers will unfold, and how it will impact the upcoming Assembly Elections.
