Summary:
BENGALURU: As Lok Sabha elections draw near, the online face-off between the three main political parties — BJP, Congress and JD(S) — is slowly coming to a boil in the state. “The AICC content is being customised for the state with the use of graphs and figures,” said Gowda.The Congress said it will also use its resources to help JD(S) candidates as well. While the BJP has a more centralised structure for its social media campaign, it is mixing local politics and issues with the assistance of the state team.The Congress, in its individual effort, has launched a new concept of “digital youth” at the booth level and is creating a hyper local network for propaganda material to be disbursed on social media.“We will select youngsters between 18 and 40 years and give them the designation of digital youth,” said AN Nataraj Gowda, state Congress social media convener. “Digital youths will use their networking skills primarily on Whatsapp and Facebook to highlight the failures of the Modi government and the achievements of the previous UPA governments.”Unlike the BJP, the Congress agenda is driven by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundurao and the state team. The saffron party has already begun hosting social media conventions/workshops across the state.“Social media teams at conventions have been given an overview of the Modi government’s achievements, the central government schemes, the do’s and don’ts of social media and other political developments which can be used for the party’s fortunes,” said Balaji Sreenivas, convener for the state BJP social media team.The party claims the response to its call for cyber warriors has been encouraging, with several nonresident Kannadigas (NRK) from Australia and other countries seeking to join hands to bring Modi back to power..