by Sachin Murdeshwar

 Twitter is where people can follow all updates during elections and participate in conversations about candidates running, or topics that matter to them. As the voting date for Maharashtra  Assembly Elections is nearing, conversation volume is picking up momentum with people, leaders and parties taking to the platform.

Twitter has launched several initiatives to provide real-time updates on the campaign trail, has worked closely with political parties and leaders on how to leverage Twitter for citizen engagement, and is encouraging voters to have their voices heard during the #MaharashtraAssemblyPolls taking place in Maharashtra.

 #HerPoliticalJourney

 Featuring Vandana Chavan (@MPVandanaChavan), Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19)among other women political leaders from the State, Twitter has initiated  a video series in collaboration with policy partners Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and Policy and Development Advisory Group (PDAG) with the objective of bringing alive the vision, stories, struggle, triumph and the indomitable spirit of these women politicians. Recorded in English, Hindi and Marathi, in the videos these eminent women leaders also share how Twitter has been an enabler in bringing them closer to the citizens.  

Users can follow the hashtag #HerPoliticalJourney for upcoming videos in the series.

 

#ChaupalOnTwitter

 

Serving the public conversation, Twitter announced #ChaupalOnTwitter during #LokSabhaElections2019, which recorded more than one lakh views. In continuation of this, Twitter will be hosting Chaupal sessions with leaders ahead of the Assembly Elections in Maharashtra. The Chaupals will facilitate direct engagement between the leader and citizens on Twitter, and also take place on-ground in the traditional chaupal format. The Q&A with the leader will also be broadcast live on the platform from the leaders’ handles. Questions using the hashtag #ChaupalOnTwitter will be sourced from people on Twitter leading up to the event.

Elections Emoji

To encourage people to vote and generate positive conversation on the service, Twitter has made live its special election emoji for the upcoming #AssemblyElections2019. Available from now until October 30, 2019, the election emoji can be activated using the following hashtags in a Tweet:  #AssemblyElections2019, #विधानसभाचुनाव2019, #MaharashtraAssemblyPolls, #मqqहाराष्ट्रविधानसभानिवडणूक, #महाराष्ट्रविधानसभाचुनाव.

Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/TwitterIndia/status/1175714860023209986?s=08

To stay on top of the #AssemblyElections2019 follow the key political parties, candidates on Twitter:

Party accounts to follow:(in alphabetical order):

• AIMIM – @aimim_national
• BJP-  @BJP4India
• BJP Maharashtra – @BJP4Maharashtra
• INC –  @INCIndia
• INC Maharashtra – @INCMaharashtra
• MNS –@mnsadhikrut
• NCP – @NCPspeaks
• SHIV SENA – @ShivSena

 

Key Political Leaders accounts to follow (in alphabetical order):

1. Aaditya Thackeray – @AUThackeray
2. Balasaheb Thorat – @bb_thorat
3. Devendra Fadnavis – @Dev_Fadnavis
4. Jayant Patil – @Jayant_R_Patil
5. Pankaja Gopinath Munde – @Pankajamunde
6. Priyanka Chaturvedi – @priyankac19
7. Raj Thackeray – @RajThackeray
8. Uddhav Thackeray – @OfficeofUT
9. Supriya Sule – @supriya_sule
10. Sanjay Nirupam – @sanjaynirupam
11. Sharad Pawar – @PawarSpeaks
12. Sanjay Dhotre – @SanjayDhotreMP
13. Pritam Gopinath Munde – @DrPritamMunde
14. Arvind Ganpat Sawant – @AGSawant
15. Ashish Shelar – @ShelarAshish
16. Ajit Pawar – @AjitPawarSpeaks
17. Dhananjay Munde – @Dhananjay_munde
18. Sanajy Raut – @rautsanjay61
19. Vinod Tawade – @TawdeVinod
20. Vandana Chavan – @MPVandanaChavan
21. Vidya Thakur – @VidyaThakurBJP

 

Payal Kamat, Senior Associate, Public Policy & Government, Twitter India said, “The public conversation on Twitter is never more important than during elections, the cornerstone of democracy. As Maharashtra gears up for the upcoming Assembly election, Twitter will enable the citizens to know what is happening and democratizes access to information. We are committed to establishing credible access to the leaders irrespective of the location and provide insights into diversity of perspectives on critical issues; all in real-time townhall experience.”