NARENDRA MODI VS RAHUL GANDHI ON TWITTER: A COMPARISON OF SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES FOR POLITICAL MOBILISATION (2017-19)
1
Author(s):
SANJEEV RATNA SINGH
Vol - 10, Issue- 5 ,
Page(s) : 371 - 384
(2019 )
DOI : https://doi.org/10.32804/IRJMSH
Abstract
Since the 2014 Lok Sabha election which catapulted Narendra Modi to power, much attention has been focused on BJP's early adoption of social media platforms as a tool of political communication. Apart from other deeper political factors that contributed to his victory, Narendra Modi, who had joined Twitter in 2009 and had already crossed 1 million Twitter followers by 2012- in sharp contrast to Congress's Rahul Gandhi who only joined the platform in 2015- gave equal importance to social media as compared to the conventional media platforms (print, TV and radio).
- PTI, ‘Narendra Modi's Twitter following grows by 52% to 37.5 million in 2017’ 05.12.2017, https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/social-media/narendra-modis-twitter-following-grows-by-52-to-375-million-in-2017/article9983019.ece
- Timesofindia.com, ‘Rahul Gandhi changes his Twitter handle’, The Times of India, 17.03.2018, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rahul-gandhi-changes-his-twitter-handle/articleshow/63340587.cms
- ANI, ‘PM Modi becomes most followed Indian on Twitter’, 26.08.2016, The Tribune, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/pm-modi-becomes-most-followed-indian-on-twitter/285753.html
- Moneycontrol.com, ‘Rahul Gandhi added 1 million Twitter followers in last 6 months’, 31.12.2018, Money Control, https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/politics/rahul-gandhi-added-1-million-twitter-followers-in-last-6-months-3338511.html
- PTI, ‘Data tariffs fall 93% in last three years: Telecom department’, 29.03.2018, The Economic Times, https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/data-tariffs-fall-93-in-last-three-years-telecom-department/63537339
- PTI, ‘India has the cheapest mobile data in world: Study’, 06.03.2019, The Economic Times, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/india-has-the-cheapest-mobile-data-in-world-study/articleshow/68285820.cms?from=mdr
- Nandita Mathur, ‘India's internet base crosses 500 million mark, driven by Rural India’, 11.03.2019, Live Mint, https://www.livemint.com/industry/telecom/internet-users-exceed-500-million-rural-india-driving-growth-report-1552300847307.html
- S.Y.Quraishi, ‘A 900-million strong electorate makes Elections 2019 the biggest ever’, 10.03.2019, Live Mint, https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/a-900-million-strong-electorate-makes-elections-2019-the-biggest-ever-1552227376115.html
- Twitter data, compiled for this study by data analytics firm, Loki.ai, in collaboration with the author.
|