Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Alternative media gives voice to the Opposition

At last count, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had clocked in 41.47% of all votes, right behind the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA's) 45.13%. Media experts say a lot of the social-media content may not have been technically backed by the parties in question, but has instead come from unorganised entities working as an independent ecosystem to take on the ruling alliance via satire, humour and fact-based posts.

Names like Dhruv Rathee stand out with engaging and simplified videos on a number of subjects, complemented by the party leaders themselves who also tried to model communication that could appeal especially to Gen Z and millennial voters, experts pointed out.

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“The 2019 elections were largely dominated by WhatsApp, while the 2024 elections saw YouTube as a major medium," communications strategy consultant Karthik Srinivasan said. “In a way, these influencers became an alternative media and were very vocal this election. Their presence was necessitated because the mainstream media was taking a pro-ruling government position."

This meant there was an active, visible and vocal counter media that probably shifted perspectives significantly, Srinivasan added. “What they said and how they presented their points of view made a big dent with the people who were tired of seeing the same point of view coming from the organised media," he added.

Targetting young voters

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) selected influencers who reinforced its developmental and nationalistic narratives and appealed to its traditional voter base, the opposition strategically chose voices focused on employment, economic growth and social issues, resonating deeply with young voters.

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“The BJP, renowned for its innovative social-media strategies, maintained a robust social-media presence in the latest elections, but the Opposition matched these efforts, engaging an increasingly influential youthful electorate in tier-II and -III cities," Shudeep Majumdar, the co-founder of Delhi-based influencer marketing firm Zefmo Media said.

Brand consultant and social commentator Santosh Desai agreed it was the influencers working by themselves that emerged as powerful voices this election that political parties actually rode on. “They garnered a very different kind of viewership from news channels," Desai added.

Sandeep Goyal, chairman and managing director of advertising agency Rediffusion, pointed out that there is complete democracy on social-media platforms. The Opposition used that opportunity and matched the ruling dispensation quietly and aggressively this time.

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“The average person uses the phone so much more than consuming regular news. So, it's easier (to spread the word) via memes or (Instagram) Reels. It is great that the opposition has finally woken up to the fact that the Internet can be used as a tool to bust all of these myths that the ruling party might spread; however, I feel that they started it a little later than they should have in their campaigning cycle," stand-up comic and podcaster Navin Noronha said.

Independent journalists lend a hand

Names such as Rathee and Akash Banerjee, better-known as The DeshBhakt, among others, have helped democratize the campaigning landscape and lent heft to the opposition voice, experts agree. Moreover, influencers are also able to push boundaries more than traditional media can. On Tuesday, Rathee posted on social media, “Never underestimate the power of a common man."

“These influencers may have played a role in swaying younger and first-time voters especially through short-format videos using Instagram Reels as well as YouTube," Lloyd Mathias, a business and marketing strategist said. “Political parties need to be mindful of the power of social media and its ability to shape the narrative, as nearly a billion Indians are using these platforms and most of them don’t attend any political rallies."

To be sure, experts emphasize it could be difficult to tell whether these influencers were backed by specific parties, and it could well be the case that they genuinely don't believe in the BJP's manifesto and decided to voice their opinion.

“A lot of the communication seemed very personalised and non-sponsored. In fact, in many cases, the videos or posts didn’t even name specific parties or leaders. It was just casual and organic stuff that seemed influenced by, say, a particular ideology and not collaborated upon via a marketing agency," Shubhangi Bhatia, strategy consultant at BOD Consulting explained.