Civic polls: Getting tech savvy to reach voters

CHANDIGARH: With nearly 1.5 lakh youngsters between the age group of 18 and 30 set to play a major role in deciding the fate of candidates of the upcoming civic body elections in the third week of December this year, prospective candidates and their parties are desperately getting tech savvy in a bid to catch the youths on social networking sites.
Fresh plans are being worked out by parties to contact large number of youths across city through party websites.
From highlighting their achievements to picking holes in the claims of sitting councillors, the warring parties and prospective candidates plan to pour it out through social networking sites, hoping to make a mark.
About their upcoming move to contact city youths to ensure their participation in the poll process next month, Chandigarh Youth Congress president, Gurpreet Singh Gabi said, "We have already started contacting young voters through our website and other social networking sites to apprise them about the importance of taking part in the poll process. We have also been telling them about the developments done by our party in the last five years' rule in the local civic body. In a few days, we are going to float a new website of our group to reach out to more youngsters and to convince them to vote in the coming elections."
Similarly, Bharatiya Janata Party's Chandigarh spokesperson, Shakti Devshali insists that they would also be taking the e-way to contact young voters, particularly first timers, through the party websites and social networking sites. "We would not only share our views, but also invite their feedback on the city's and their own development plans. We would include some of those suggestions in our party manifesto as well," said the spokesperson.
Former city mayor and SGPC member from Chandigarh, Harjinder Kaur is all for the use of internet to contact the young voters to ensure their wholehearted participation the poll process. "I would highlight my achievements on my social networking site for the youths to see and would contact them for their suggestions to improve the facilities in the city wards of the city," said Kaur.