<p>Days after a spate of disastrous results in the recently-held elections in five states, the Congress is firming up its social media strategy. Preparations for control rooms in the election going states of Himachal and Gujarat, concerted Twitter spaces for important states like Gujarat and Maharashtra and social media teams at the booth level are some of the plans that the grand old party is working on.</p>.<p>Party leaders said that the social media structure has been firmed up till the assembly level, and work on coming up with teams across all the booths is next on the line. In February this year, general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal had directed states to come up with assembly-level committees by April 30, and booth in-charges by May 31. He’s also asked for booth-level WhatsApp groups to be appointed by May 31. Leaders said that the party currently has about 2 lakh volunteers working as part of its social media strategy, while there are more supporters outside of the system.</p>.<p>The party is also looking to spruce up its communication strategy and former president Rahul Gandhi met with several senior leaders, as well as younger faces, earlier this week. Communications chief Randeep Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera were some of those present.</p>.<p>Apart from that, the party is working on building control rooms in election-going states like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. In Uttarakhand, the social media control room was built over six month before the elections. Himachal Pradesh goes to the polls in November 2022, and Gujarat in 2022.</p>.<p>A senior party leader said that the strategy is to work on localised messaging. “The messages will be on issues that affect people in their localities. The candidate will be the hero in the social media messaging,” the leader said.</p>.<p>The Congress social media team was recently expanded, inducting Mayur Shekhar Jha, Poorva Sharma, Nitin Agarwal, Manoj Mehta, Pankaj Kharbanda and Abhas Bhatnagar as National Coordinators. Sources said that more expansion is on the anvil. Agarwal, Mehta and Kharbanda were National Co-coordinators earlier.</p>.<p>On Saturday, the social media team started a digital newsletter which is a round up of the party’s activities. On the anvil are Twitter spaces for regions that are important for the party. Such spaces for Gujarat has already started, and next in line is Maharashtra.</p>.<p>“The platform gives us an opportunity to interact with volunteers, to give them direction, and also chalk out a roadmap for youngsters who look towards joining the Congress,” said a party person in the know.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Days after a spate of disastrous results in the recently-held elections in five states, the Congress is firming up its social media strategy. Preparations for control rooms in the election going states of Himachal and Gujarat, concerted Twitter spaces for important states like Gujarat and Maharashtra and social media teams at the booth level are some of the plans that the grand old party is working on.</p>.<p>Party leaders said that the social media structure has been firmed up till the assembly level, and work on coming up with teams across all the booths is next on the line. In February this year, general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal had directed states to come up with assembly-level committees by April 30, and booth in-charges by May 31. He’s also asked for booth-level WhatsApp groups to be appointed by May 31. Leaders said that the party currently has about 2 lakh volunteers working as part of its social media strategy, while there are more supporters outside of the system.</p>.<p>The party is also looking to spruce up its communication strategy and former president Rahul Gandhi met with several senior leaders, as well as younger faces, earlier this week. Communications chief Randeep Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera were some of those present.</p>.<p>Apart from that, the party is working on building control rooms in election-going states like Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. In Uttarakhand, the social media control room was built over six month before the elections. Himachal Pradesh goes to the polls in November 2022, and Gujarat in 2022.</p>.<p>A senior party leader said that the strategy is to work on localised messaging. “The messages will be on issues that affect people in their localities. The candidate will be the hero in the social media messaging,” the leader said.</p>.<p>The Congress social media team was recently expanded, inducting Mayur Shekhar Jha, Poorva Sharma, Nitin Agarwal, Manoj Mehta, Pankaj Kharbanda and Abhas Bhatnagar as National Coordinators. Sources said that more expansion is on the anvil. Agarwal, Mehta and Kharbanda were National Co-coordinators earlier.</p>.<p>On Saturday, the social media team started a digital newsletter which is a round up of the party’s activities. On the anvil are Twitter spaces for regions that are important for the party. Such spaces for Gujarat has already started, and next in line is Maharashtra.</p>.<p>“The platform gives us an opportunity to interact with volunteers, to give them direction, and also chalk out a roadmap for youngsters who look towards joining the Congress,” said a party person in the know.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>