New Delhi: With an aim to adopt a renewed outlook, the BJP has tightened its social media footprint, with a greater focus on the output of its leaders and elected representatives on these platforms. Calls, reminders and …

New Delhi: With an aim to adopt a renewed outlook, the BJP has tightened its social media footprint, with a greater focus on the output of its leaders and elected representatives on these platforms. Calls, reminders and meetings with leaders have become the norm as the party pushes its leaders to maintain a stronger presence on social media.According to sources in the party, the BJP is keeping a close eye on the social media activities of its leaders and elected representatives. In the days leading up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, some MPs and ministers were called for a virtual meeting with party president Nitin Nabin, who reviewed whether the leaders had posted about the Seva Sankalp Abhiyaan.“The president held a series of meetings with sets of elected representatives who he felt were not posting enough on their socials for the month-long campaign we’ve designed for the prime minister’s birthday. We understand the power of social media, especially in challenging times like these. One must remember that BJP had ensured that social media is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to social media when PM Modi made Twitter an important platform for political communications,” a senior leader of the party said.TMC symbol row: BJP rejects Cong’s ‘party chori’ charge, asks Rahul Gandhi to look at his party’s historySeveral leaders also receive routine calls asking whether they have posted about a particular issue or event. Sources said that apart from the party’s social media team, the party’s allied social media outfits have also been roped in to help with the follow-up process.In the revamping of the party’s leadership, one of the most noticeable changes was the replacement of the party’s then IT Cell head Amit Malviya with Deepak Mhaskey. The BJP appointed Mhaskey as its national social media convenor in August, replacing Malviya.The onslaught against the BJP during the Jantar Mantar students’ protests led by Gen Z protesters unfolded largely on social media. The Cockroach Janata Party also gained significant traction on social media, reportedly surpassing the BJP’s 8.7 million followers and amassing more than 15 million followers within days of its launch.This prompted the BJP to adopt tactics such as the Prime Minister’s selfie videos to keep up. Mhaskey, who had been the IT Cell head in Chhattisgarh, had worked closely with Nabin on previous occasions. Malviya, who had been setting the party’s narrative for years, has been tasked with organisational work in West Bengal at the moment.

Source: Deccan Herald