Leaders using social media to attract voters
Kathmandu, November 11
Record shows that around 22 per cent of the country’s population were using social media in 2016. With incessant growth of the number of users, the index must have gone higher this year.
With the surge in the use of social media, it has become easier for people to convey idea to a larger population. Social media is also widely used by political leaders to spread their message.
With the country holding its first every parliamentary and provincial election on November 26 and December 7 this year, it will be interesting to know which leaders have more following in some prominent social media. Here are the top political leaders who are using social media to attract voters.
According to GlobalStat, an internet based stat counter, out of the total social media uses, 91.16 per cent people use Facebook, 2.4 percent use Twitter and 2.28 percent use Instagram.
Baburam Bhattarai
Former prime minister and co-coordinator of Naya Shakti Party-Nepal Baburam Bhattarai has maximum number of followers.
Facebook 1,279,000
Twitter 892,000
Rabindra Mishra
Former journalist and known philanthropist Rabindra Mishra, who left his career in journalism to join politics in 2017, formed a new political party called ‘Sajha Party’. Mishra, has the second largest number of followers. He is now coordinator of Bibeksheel Sajha Party.
Facebook 691,000
Twitter 685,000
Instagram 16,000
Gagan Thapa
Spokesperson of Nepali Congress, Gagan Thapa is supported largely by the younger generation. Seen as a fresh and young face in contrast to the usual elderly politicians, Gagan Thapa was a former minister of health and occupies the number 3 position among leaders who use social media.
Facebook 186,000
Twitter 704,000
Instagram 781
Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Former prime minister and chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre, Pushpa Kamal Dahal is considered one of the strongest players in Nepali politics.
Facebook 164,000
Twitter 102,000
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Prime Minister of Nepal and President of Nepali Congress, Sher Bahadur Deuba also has a huge following on social media.
Facebook 138,000
Twitter 101,000
KP Sharma Oli