HYDERABAD: The ‘great memetic warfare’ of our times is here. While meme wars ruled the 2016 US presidential elections, it took a significant turn in Telangana too in the last one week with ‘Money Heist’ serial posters providing the perfect backdrop for the BJP-TRS social media slugfest and publicity blitzkrieg.
As Telangana heads into election mode with the assembly polls slated for 2023, TRS, BJP and Congress are now hooked onto social media and outdoor billboards with memes playing a big part. Neighbouring Andhra Pradesh is not far behind with the ruling YSR Congress Party and opposition Telugu Desam Party attacking each other on social media platforms using memes.
Several social research studies have shown that memes do impact voter psychology. Confirming this, political experts said there is a considerable demand for memers. Political strategist Errabelli Rajanikanth said memes in Telangana and AP are often made with films as the central theme.
Political analyst professor K Nageshwar said memes are nothing but creative forms of communication. “They may not be a major factor in an electoral outcome, but they are used for altering the mindset of people and creating a perception among them. Creative memes have an impact when they begin to sync with people in no time,” he said.
He said memes are often used to expose the political parties in a subtle manner.
He said for politically conscious people, memes are mere forms of entertainment. “But for the unconcerned sections of voters, they can create a devastating impact,” he added.
TRS social media convenor Manne Krishank said the just-concluded BJP’s NEC meeting had a lot of humour material. “We exposed their misdeeds with subjective humour,” he said.
He tweeted a photograph of a hoarding advertising ‘Achhe Din biscuits’ — a reference to the BJP’s 2014 election campaign slogan. The hoarding read ‘Modi ji’s favourite biskit. ’ ‘Money Heist’ meme refelected how banks in this country are robbed and how for a few industrialists, resources are kept at their disposal,” he said.
