Insta
Congress To Hire And Train 5 lakh ‘Social Media Warriors’ To Counter BJP IT Cell
Swarajya Staff
Feb 08, 2021, 04:37 PM | Updated 04:37 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The Congress party is set to launch a helpline number and dedicated social media pages to bring on-board five lakh social media members to counter the BJP’s IT cell, India Today reports.
The publication reports that the Sonia Gandhi-led party is trying to revitalize the potential of social media platforms to swing public mood and opinions in their favour after two successive defeats in Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress is planning to recruit five lakh members to spread their message to the length and breadth of the country. Simultaneously, they will initiate a campaign to hire 50,000 office bearers in every district of India and 4.5 lakh more volunteers will assist these officeholders. They are looking to create a data bank of younger individuals interested in joining the party’s social media team.
One of the senior individuals from the Congress’ social media cell told India Today, “After careful scrutiny of those interested, interviews will be conducted to complete the recruitment followed by training to put the project in motion at the earliest.”
He added, “Party's #SpeakUp campaigns with videos from top leaders on various issues have performed beyond expectations, this has encouraged us to expand our digital footprint. After careful screening process, we will put together an army of social media warriors by imparting training in organizational skills and responsible use of technology to stop BJP propaganda.”
However, it is vital to note that the party has had little success on this front previously. Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi had kick-started a ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ campaign to malign Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image with respect to the deal regarding procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
However, the ruling party aptly countered that move by launching the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign that helped in reinvigorating the BJP’s supporters’ base ahead of the crucial general elections.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.