The Punjab Congress has begun keeping tabs on the social-media activity of its senior leaders to assess their engagement with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign, as the party looks to sharpen its Gen Z outreach ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.
The party is seeking details of which leaders are active on social media and have reposted or amplified Rahul’s posts.
Party leaders, familiar with the matter, said the exercise is part of the state unit’s plan to strengthen its digital outreach ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, with a particular focus on how leaders are supporting the social-media campaign aimed at engaging Gen Z. Rahul Gandhi has been targeting the young voters through this campaign, amid discontent among students over the issue of paper leaks.
A preliminary assessment has shown that only three of around a dozen senior Punjab Congress leaders have reposted Rahul Gandhi’s posts, prompting the party to seek a more comprehensive report on the digital activity of its leaders. PPCC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, AICC secretary Vijay Inder Singla and MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh are among those who have repeatedly reposted content related to Rahul’s programme.
The exercise comes as the Congress seeks to take its campaign beyond conventional political programmes and engage young voters through campuses and social-media platforms. Rahul’s August 22 programme in Pune focused on women and issues including identity, education and equality, with the party seeking to build a direct connect with students and young voters.
{{/usCountry}}The exercise comes as the Congress seeks to take its campaign beyond conventional political programmes and engage young voters through campuses and social-media platforms. Rahul’s August 22 programme in Pune focused on women and issues including identity, education and equality, with the party seeking to build a direct connect with students and young voters.
{{/usCountry}}Party leaders said Rahul is likely to hold similar programmes in Punjab ahead of the assembly polls.
“The party has specially sought details of the social-media handles and activity of leaders who were recently given key organisational positions in the Punjab Congress rejig. The move is aimed at ensuring that those holding important positions actively participate in the party’s digital campaigns and amplify its central messaging,” said a senior state leader, requesting anonymity.
The party’s focus on Gen Z also reflects the growing importance of young voters in political mobilisation, with social media emerging as a key platform for reaching first-time voters. “The party will soon launch a social-media campaign in Punjab, but before that, the high command wants to assess how many state leaders are active on social media,” the leader added.
The Punjab Congress has already decided to step up its social-media campaign, with greater focus on youth issues, digital content and direct engagement with voters. The latest exercise is also aimed at improving coordination among the state leadership in promoting the party’s campaigns and messaging ahead of the assembly polls.