When India Votes

Elections have always been festive occasions in liberal democracies, and India is no exception.Media becomes one of the most important players in elections because of its power of reach andagenda-setting. From one government-controlled television in India in 1984, to hundreds of newschannels owned by various interest groups, a burgeoning print media, the coming of the socialmedia and the tiniest and most ’lethal’ of mass reach weapon, the mobile phone-all these havechanged the way elections are now contested! The power of mass contact through rallies and publicgatherings, reinforced by the event-driven media channels and the power of digital media to reachout to the young audience, has redefined electioneering in India.When India Votes looks at the theoretical underpinnings of the relationship between democracy,mass media and election campaigning, as well as representative campaigns of the last three decadesof the two major players, viz. the Congress and BJP.