BJP or Cong in Himachal? Here’s What Social Media Analysis Reveals

Which political party got the most social media engagement in Himachal Pradesh?

Electoral battles are no longer restricted to television studios or newspaper columns, but are also being fought on different social media platforms. Aggressive hashtagging is now considered equal to politicos embarking on roadshows to campaign for their respective parties or even taking seaplane rides for #vikas.

Let's look at Himachal Pradesh as an example. The state recorded its highest voter turnout in the 2017 Assembly polls, with 74.45 percent of those on the electoral list practising their right to franchise on 9 November. But before the voters were inked, two rival parties – the BJP and the Congress – locked horns on Twitter and Facebook while also maximising their reach.

Here are some key findings of an analysis on the social media use (only Twitter and Facebook) by the BJP and the Congress in Himachal Pradesh before the Assembly polls.

(The data was collected by Vaizle, a social media analytic tool, from 1 September 2017 to 9 November 2017)