As the polling for the Telangana assembly elections just three weeks away, the political parties have started innovative campaign through advertisements, skits and theatrics on social media to attract the attention of the voters.
While Bharat Rashtra Samithi has been indulging in image-building exercises through paid interviews, cookery shows and organised debates on the welfare schemes of KCR, the Congress party has started an innovative ad campaign on social media.
The political strategy team of the Congress has launched an advertisement campaign in the name of “#MaarpuKavaliCongressRavali” (We need change, Congress needs to come to power), that is fast going viral on social media and also on television channels.
This hilarious ad campaign intends to showcase fake promises and lies of KCR in a satirical manner and tell that people will no longer believe their lies and will puncture the car this time.
The campaign is aimed at attacking KCR and the top BRS leaders, questioning his non-implementation of promises made in the last nine years.
A similar kind of advertising strategy grabbed the eyeballs of the people during the Karnataka elections and went viral.
During the Karnataka assembly elections this May on “40 percent commission” allegations against the previous BJP government fetched huge mileage to the Congress.
In the second advertisement released a couple of days ago, people are seen questioning the government on various issues such as paper leak, unemployment stipend and jobs, Dharani portal, 2 BHP houses, Kaleshwaram scam etc.
3rd ad campaign released by Telangana Congress on Wednesday features the agrarian issues in Telangana that includes 8,000 farmer suicides in Telangana, farm loan waiver, issues regarding fertilisers/free urea and paddy procurement.
It also highlights the 'Dharani portal' issue that Congress has pledged to resolve once coming to power.
Critics have started questioning this campaign by the Congress, which is more at taking potshots rather than telling the people what kind of change it intends to bring.
“It is surprising that the Congress has to rely on KCR's image and his party's symbol to garner votes,” a viewer observed.
He said negative campaigning seldom evokes positive emotions.
Positive campaigns like "Yes We Can" and "Ache Din" had a strong emotional appeal. These advertisements imply that KCR's face value, even in a negative light, is more appealing than the faces of Congress leaders in Telangana.
Congress leaders say the campaign aims to make the voters aware of how he has been deceiving the public throughout the years.
“Telangana was created to provide employment, foster prosperous agriculture, and develop infrastructure. These fundamental goals have been neglected by KCR, apart from unfulfilled promises such as providing double-bedroom houses and government jobs,” a Congress leader said.
