Kerala: College elections trend on social media

KOZHIKODE: The tech-savvy new generation has taken to the social media in a big way to campaign for the students' union elections  in colleges affiliated to the University of Calicut,  which are scheduled for Thursday.  But they have also resorted to the traditional groundwork  along with using WhatsApp and Facebook  and most of the candidates have launched  special IT cells for the online campaign. Much ahead of the real campaign, the candidates had   started seeking votes and creating  support base through the social media.

The leaders claim that the social media has a wider reach and can spread their message on a real-time basis. Arun Shankar, SFI chairman candidate at Malabar Christian College,  told DC that the social media helped them connect with the students on a 24/7 basis.  “We can converse with them from anywhere, anytime,” he said.  He maintains a committee for handling social media publicity. But the students also bank on the  traditional methods of making posters and personal interaction.

“Social media reduces the cost compared to other methods and it  has a wider reach. But the traditional method has its own value. The combination of both is the smartest way” said Thejas Jose, KSU member,  who was elected the union chairman in Devagiri College, an autonomous college where the union election was conducted earlier. Aruna Markose, SFI candidate  for the chairman post at Government arts and science college, Meenchanda, told DC that social media provides one the   freedom to voice one’s opinions and get  instant feedback.