Wayanad bypoll: Low voter turnout dampens Congress spirits
Political observers say that the massive turnout of crowd during the campaigns of Priyanka in the constituency is not reflected in the polling.
With over 1.20 lakh followers on Chinese short video-making app TikTok, Sonali Phogat, a TikTok sensation, gets ticket from Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) to contest on the Adampur seat against three-time MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi from the Congress party, in the upcoming Haryana elections.
She has made over 175 short videos on TikTok and is immensely popular among youth in Haryana.
Phogat, married to late Sanjay Phogat of Harita, Hisar, hails from Bhuthan Kalan village of Fatehabad district. She is also the state vice-president of BJP’s Mahila Morcha.
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Sensing her popularity among TikTok users in Haryana, the BJP decided to pit the small screen actress and greenhorn activist against sitting legislator Bishnoi, son of three-time Chief Minister late Bhajan Lal in this Jat-dominated seat.
Phogat can be seen waving her saree at the beach, exercising in the gym, performing sizzling dance numbers on catchy tunes or just walking down the street while a Bollywood number plays in the background in different videos she creates on the TikTok App.
TikTok which has over 200 million users in India has become a craze in small cities and town. Many housewives, students and young population who want to shoot short videos and share across social media platform use TikTok frequently to get instant popularity.
Millions of Indians are hooked up on to the App and it has created multiple celebrities including Phogat, who have managed to reach the top echelons of the society.
TikTok has managed to monetise its offering within one year of its launch through a variety of revenue models like in-app purchase of coins and virtual gifts, advertising accounts for most of its revenue.
Although Phogat claims that she got ticket because of her hard work as party worker and not as a TikTok star.
Elections to the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 21 and results will be declared on October 24. Congress ruled the state for two consecutive terms till 2014. The BJP won a majority for the first time in the 90-member Haryana assembly, securing 47 seats in 2014.
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