Ever wondered where the messages and posts that you get about political parties or politicians during elections come from? Are these just common people sharing some messages or is it a planned strategy to build the party’s image? We posed this question to the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Lucknow and this is what we got to know.
Aiming to win Uttar Pradesh elections by strategically using social media, the BJP is aggressively tapping into the potential of the digital world to increase its outreach, especially among young voters of the state. With several youths on board handling the social media platform, the BJP IT Cell in Lucknow is buzzing with enthusiasm.
A call centre is also operational in the war room and each operator has a target to make 300 calls per day. Teams at the office work in close coordination with booth committee heads. Their duty is not only to send their own messages, but also to keep a track of what is going on in the social media and provide feedback reports to the party leadership.
Inside the social media room, around 10 people are in charge of the party’s UP Twitter handle, Facebook page and party website, which is updated round-the-clock. Photos and videos of campaigns across the state are posted after being vetted by senior party leaders.
There’s a dedicated ‘Media Watch’ room, where news channels are monitored. Speaking to InUth, Danish, who monitors the TV channels said, “I was always inclined towards the BJP. Every day, I prepare a report and hand it over to my seniors and that gives us an idea of the kind of coverage we are getting across the nation.”
Kameshwar Mishra, who is actively involved in the BJP IT Cell operations, told InUth that the BJP is using WhatsApp rapidly for spreading the party’s message across the state. “We have created more than 7,000 WhatsApp group and have targeted nearly 12-14 lakh voters. Our aim is if these 12-14 lakh people like our message and vision and share it with their friends and family, this will eventually increase our reach.”
With the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls around the corner, the messages created in these rooms are widely shared and a buzz on the social platform is surely there. But whether these social media campaigns will translate into support and votes for the party—let’s wait and watch.
