COURTESY HT SEPT 7

Low tele-density in Bihar makes voter outreach harder

Subhash Pathak and Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa

letters@hindustantimes.com

Patna/Delhi : In the first statewide election to be held after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, with strict social distancing guidelines in place, Bihar’s political parties suddenly have a new, unusual worry — the state’s low tele-density, low internet penetration, and low mass media exposure. All three pose a challenge in reaching out to prospective voters in a campaign that will rely on indirect communication and digital tools.

Tele-density — the number of telephone connections per hundred people in a given area — is the lowest in Bihar, at 59 by the end of 2019, according to data compiled by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The national average is 89. Internet penetration in Bihar is 32 subscribers per 100 people, compared to the national average of 54. Mass media exposure, too, is poor.

Parties are thinking of new ways to bridge the gap. BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand said: “...party has its chain of digitally enabled workers, who in turn arrange the digital output system through local cooperation to reach out to maximum people through virtual rallies.”

RJD said it was reliant on its tried and tested mode — direct contact with electors. “RJD leaders have already started holding meetings in small groups at panchayat levels,” said spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari