TCS partners Twitter India for iElect election app

The country's largest software services firm, Tata Consultancy Services, has tied up with social media giant Twitter to launch an app, iElect, to help users gain social insights into the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

"The TCS iElect app is a completely new way to observe, analyse and participate in the social conversations around the world's largest general elections," TCS said in a statement.

The app harnesses the power of social media, big data, analytics and mobility to make sense of what seems to be a complex web of conversations, it added.

"TCS iElect will be new and engaging for them to participate through the entire process with its gamified and interactive features," TCS Vice President and Head Corporate Communication Pradipta Bagchi said.

Users of iElect app will have access to insights and trends on a realtime basis.

"iElect makes real time Twitter data and analytics around key political events and content accessible to every Indian. The app has opened up a unique engagement opportunity with Twitter content for our users," Twitter India Market director Rishi Jaitly said.

An iOS version will be launched soon, the statement said.

More that 814 million voters, including over 23 million in the age group of 18-19 years, are exercising their franchise in the world's largest democracy where polls are being held in nine phases up to May 12.

India has the third-largest number of Internet users at more than 238 million, with a majority of them youth. This includes over a 100 million people active on social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter.

Other tech firms are also using the online media to engage with voters. Tech giant Google revamped its election hub to include features such as Pledge to Vote campaign, a 'Google score' tool for politicians, search trend info-graphics, YouTube election playlists and Hangout details for users.

Social networking giant Facebook launched an election tracker and started a Facebook Talks series, at which political leaders including Aam Aadmi Party founder Arvind Kejriwal and RJD chief Lalu Prasad answered questions from users.

According to a study by IRIS Knowledge Foundation and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), there are 160 high-impact constituencies in India out of the total 543, which are likely to be influenced by social media during the general elections.