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UP BJP launches ‘Mission Shankhnaad’ to counter Oppn on social media
CM Yogi Adityanath, along with senior leaders like UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh and deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, tasked the cadre of social media with different tasks – from uploading videos of beneficiaries of various government schemes to calling out fake IDs or countering ‘opposition propaganda’.
Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath launched the BJP’s ‘Mission Shankhnaad’ - the party’s social media push ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh – from Lucknow on Sunday.
Yogi Adityanath, along with senior leaders like UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh and deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, tasked the cadre of social media with different tasks – from uploading videos of beneficiaries of various government schemes to calling out fake IDs or countering ‘opposition propaganda’.
As CM and other leaders said, ‘labharthis’ (beneficiaries) of various government schemes would form the core of the BJP’s social media plan.
“Get beneficiaries to speak about how they have benefited under the double engine BJP government and upload their videos on social media after tagging them to those who engage in propaganda against the BJP,” Yogi Adityanath said while addressing the BJP’s social media and IT cell cadre present at the day-long interface session with senior leaders in Lucknow on Sunday.
UP BJP general secretary Anoop Gupta said similar interface campaigns and social media training sessions would be held for party workers at district level from August 28 to September 15.
The party is looking to market its achievements by getting beneficiaries to speak about how the ‘double engine’ BJP governments have ensured that the benefits of the government schemes have reached the ‘poorest of the poor’ sans discrimination.
As Yogi admitted at the close door BJP session, the strategy to deploy social media cadres right down to the booth level to counter opposition and market its achievements made sense with record number of smart phone users.
“There is hardly anyone who doesn’t have a smart phone now. That is why the role of social media in disseminating correct information to the masses becomes crucial,” he said.
“The whole point is that if the beneficiaries speak of how they have benefitted, it would be hard for our opponents to disbelieve them. Their videos would be tagged to those who raise questions and accuse us sans basis,” a BJP leader said while explaining how the social media would be galvanised ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The CM also urged the cadre to be careful about using the right words while countering opponents.
“Keep abreast of developments, use proper words while countering opponents. Our aim is to reach out to the masses and to tell them how the poorest of the poor have benefitted under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is no distinction in delivery of government schemes on caste or communal lines and each eligible beneficiary is getting his or her due,” the CM said.
The social media teams would be created at booth-level, regional level and state level and each volunteer would be part of a Whatsapp group.
UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary said that with 2024 Lok Sabha polls around, the opposition would attempt to mislead the masses.
“This is why we need to ensure that accurate facts are presented before the people quickly,” he said.
UP BJP general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh said, “Social media is fast-evolving and the challenge is to keep abreast of these developments for effective messaging.”
Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said that as 2024 elections approached, the cadre would have the additional task of calling out fake IDs out to create ‘propaganda’.
