Modern India is the largest democracy in the world with a diverse population and rich cultural heritage. Throughout the years, India’s political landscape has evolved, giving rise to several iconic elections campaigns and advertisements that have left a lasting impact on the citizens of the country. These campaigns have employed various strategies such as catchy slogans, celebrity endorsements and emotional appeals to create a buzz and attract voter’s attention at a large scale.
Here is a list of iconic campaigns by Indian political parties launched against the backdrop of elections.
Garibi Hatao: ‘Garibi Hatao Desh Bachao’ (Remove poverty, save the country) was the theme and slogan of Indira Gandhi’s Congress party for the 1971 election campaign. The slogan, ‘Garibi Hatao’, was aligned with the objective of poverty eradication, outlined in the Fifth Five-Year Plan. The slogan and its anti-poverty programs aimed to garner widespread national support for Gandhi, particularly from rural and urban poor, enabling her to bypass dominant rural and urban elites. The slogan deeply connected with the masses and helped her attain victory in the 1971 Lok Sabha elections.
India Shining: This campaign by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee reflected the shared feeling of economic optimism in India during 2004. However, the campaign was criticised for focusing on urban growth while neglecting the distress and inequalities of the rural landscape, failing to connect with the masses.
Karo Matdan by Shah Rukh Khan: For Lok Sabha elections 2019, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan turned rapper in his video and asked citizens to exercise their fundamental right and cast their votes for their chosen candidates. “Karo Matdan,” was composed by Tanishk Bagchi and featured Shah Rukh Khan himself delivering the rap vocals. This song conveyed the vital message of choosing a government that empowers its citizens.
Didi Ko Bolo: Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress supremo, launched ‘Didi Ko Bolo’ campaign in July 2019, in an attempt to connect with people and strengthen her party at the grassroots levels for the 2021 state Assembly elections. The campaign garnered widespread response from citizens of West Bengal as in the initial 15 days of the campaign , 2 lakh people had written to Mamata Banerjee and Millions of people had called and conferred their problems and suggestions to the given number.
Abki Baar Modi Sarkar: The slogan coined by the BJP, translating to “This Time, Modi Government,” became synonymous with the 2014 elections. ‘Abki baar Modi sarkar’ was an influential slogan and one of the popular election catchphrases in the history of Indian elections. It effectively linked Narendra Modi’s image and personality with the commitment to change and progress, appealing to a significant portion of the electorate. This Hindi slogan was lauded by the general public. After five years, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rolled out its campaign ‘Abki baar phir Modi sarkar’ for the 2019 general elections on social media. Through ads and rap songs, the party appealed to vote for Narendra Modi for a second term as Prime Minister.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Debut: The Aam Aadmi Party was founded on 26 November 2012 by Arvind Kejriwal and his then-companions, following the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement. Using ‘Broom’ as a symbol in their campaign, the party highlighted their intention to sweep away corruption. Their use of social media and engaging communication with the common men helped them gather support from the youth of the national capital, Delhi.
Celebrity endorsements: Bollywood has close ties with Indian politics as several celebrities have promoted their chosen parties throughout the election. Celebrity endorsement plays a crucial role in attracting voters’ attention as celebrities are widely recognized and have a dedicated fan base. Bollywood veteran actress Hema Malini, who is currently serving as a member of the Lok Sabha from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), representing the Mathura constituency since 2014, campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2022 assembly elections. Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has also campaigned for the same cause. Cricketers Kapil Dev and Ajit Agarkar have also endorsed the BJP while singer Babbu Maan supported the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).