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Kerala / The New Indian Express

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Cuteness chori along the thin line between creative & cringe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the election season in full swing, voters across the state are weighing their choices. They are scanning candidates positions on development, welfare, neighbourhood issues, and party lines. Well, this usual stuff. But now, running parallel to these familiar considerations, another trend has emerged in the campaign space: rise of the glamour and cuteness quotient. Notably, a large number of young candidates, especially women, have stepped into the contest, and social media has catapulted many of them into instant micro-celebrities stealing hearts. Some are just out of college, or in the middle of a course. Troll pages, meme accounts, and short-form videos are celebrating candidates not for their politics, but for their looks, style, and on-camera appeal. Creators have also jumped in, pairing posters of young candidates, especially women, with syrupy background tracks in place of campaign songs or slogans. One meme doing the rounds shows boys alongside a candidate poster, wondering if there was any chance to vote in that panchayat where an attractive woman is contesting from. Another one shows men expressing disappointment over their ward not having the glamour quotient. On Instagram, a reel with the caption Now election days shows a smiling man getting swayed by a slide show of young women candidates representing various parties. Chakkara chundil thechu vechoru punchiri goes the background song. And this one has got 33 lakh views, 3.4 lakh shares, and over 1,200 comments. While some such memes and reels are creative and cute, others appear cringe and crass. And most of these trending candidates are well aware of this, and are clear about the boundaries. Social media does help connect with youngsters, but the way some troll pages turn women candidates into crush content or flirtatious reels is not right. While online, all I do is share posters and updates, says 23-year-old Absalna, LDF candidate from Chadayamangalam blocks Chingeli division. We are political representatives. A candidate should be recognised for their political stand, their ideas, their ability to serve society not their age, gender, or appearance. What worries me is how social media often sexualises women for fun. Twenty-five-year-old Swathy S Kumar, the NDABJP candidate from Edavacode ward, says she actively uses social media as part of her campaign. However, she is equally aware of its nasty side. Some memes and comments reflect a deep-rooted patriarchal mindset, she says. Moreover, when a woman wins, there will always be someone claiming that its because of her looks rather than her work. Swathy hopes candidates on-ground efforts are not marred by social media timepass. Many of these trolls use my posters, too. I just mark them not interested or report them. I just want to work with the people and improve our surroundings. Vyshna Suresh, the Congress candidate for the Muttada division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, echoes the same sentiment. Social media can help as well as harm, she says. However, it remains the only space where candidates can reach people across generations. She believes only a tiny fraction of users circulate trivialising memes. Honestly, Keralas voters are not that gullible. People here have a strong political culture. We are not that shallow as a society, she says. For Amal Sivadas, UDF candidate from Panakunnam ward in Mararikulam North grama panchayat, the trend is apolitical in nature, but youngsters alone cannot be blamed. Many youngsters are unaware of what is happening around them. Mocking them only pushes them further away from politics. We are now focusing on bringing them into the campaign, says the footballer. Political commentator J Prabhash attributes the social media trend to the demographic shift being witnessed. Local body elections have always been a training ground where parties groom young aspirants for bigger roles. However, what is different this time is the sheer number of newcomers in the fray, he notes. Moreover, when voters do not care much about ideology or morality, attention naturally shifts to other cues. Politics, in general, turns into a performance art at times. And glamour can become part of the show.

2 Dec 2025 9:00 am