Maharashtra Civic Polls: Candidates Go Digital, WhatsApp Emerges as Key Tool for Ward-Level Outreach

Mumbai | Jan 5, 2026 — Undercover Editor

Mumbai:

As Maharashtra’s civic elections approach, the traditional sounds of door-to-door campaigning and street-corner rallies are increasingly being replaced by smartphone notifications. Candidates across parties are turning to digital outreach, with WhatsApp emerging as the most powerful tool for ward-level voter engagement.

While earlier elections saw heavy reliance on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the current campaign cycle has marked a clear shift towards WhatsApp for more direct, personal, and targeted communication. Candidates are creating multiple ward-specific WhatsApp groups, each comprising 300 to 400 voters, carefully selected to include local influencers, housing society representatives, youth volunteers, and community leaders.

These groups are being used not only to share campaign updates, nomination details, and rally schedules, but also to communicate development promises and receive real-time feedback from residents.

Congress functionary Brian Miranda, campaigning in Kalina for his wife Tulip Miranda, who is seeking a second term, said social media — especially WhatsApp — has become essential to reaching voters efficiently. He explained that core party workers are assigned specific buildings and slum pockets to collect feedback and identify local issues. “Wherever required, we personally reach out and address voters directly,” he said.

Congress MLA Amin Patel noted that ward-level WhatsApp groups already exist in his constituency to share updates on civic works and local events. “During elections, these platforms are now being actively used to strengthen outreach and support for party candidates,” he said.

Former Congress corporator Javed Juneja added that while social media helps in visibility, WhatsApp enables deeper engagement. “Communication on WhatsApp is direct and personal, which makes a real difference during elections,” he said.

First-time Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Akshata Ryan Menezes, contesting from Bandra West, said physical outreach remains the foundation of campaigning. “Once door-to-door interactions are done, WhatsApp helps us continue conversations with voters and stay connected,” she said. The seat was previously won by the Congress in 2017.

AAP Mumbai working president Ruben Mascrehenas described WhatsApp as the most critical communication tool in modern elections. He pointed out that younger voters have largely moved away from Facebook, while Instagram engagement remains limited to short-form content. “WhatsApp allows sustained and meaningful engagement because messages reach people directly whose numbers are already saved,” he said.

Political observers believe this shift to WhatsApp mirrors traditional grassroots campaigning, enabling candidates to maintain continuous, focused, and personalised contact with voters right up to polling day.

— Undercover Editor News Channel