Visakhapatnam: After TD and YSRC, it is now the BJP which has decided to use the social media and digital platforms aggressively in Andhra Pradesh to spread its messages and strengthen its position among the people. The BJP, which is sharing power in the state with TD, had recently finalised its social media strategy for AP to tap the young and urban voters as also the rural voters with the smart phone and internet penetration.
BJP is trying to strengthen its base in the state while continuing its uneasy relationship with the TD and found social media as a powerful tool to achieve its aims.
Though BJP Andhra Pradesh unit had made an official debut on Facebook and Twitter in May 2014, there was no strategy so far on how to use the social media. Pages on FB and Twitter handles are being created for all the districts in the state. Workshops are planned at ward and booth levels to educate like-minded people or supporters of BJP to use micro-blogging sites like Twitter.
Websites are also being developed for all district party units in the state.
A separate website of AP BJP unit has also been developed. To drive the message of the party home, especially the ‘good’ it had done to Andhra Pradesh, to internet users across a wider spectrum, content is being created in native Telugu language. The 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh have been divided into 17 units as part of the party’s social media strategy. In charges or conveners were appointed for every unit and several workshops were conducted on the effective use of social media.
Every district unit has a team of five volunteers. “Though the BJP state unit had a presence on various social media platforms for some time, it was only recently that a strategy has been finalised. Now we are consolidating all the individual digital platforms used by BJP workers and bringing them on to the single platform and started working in an organised manner.
The Vizag party unit’s website is under testing and it will be launched soon. Similarly, all the other district websites will be launched shortly. We are planning a state-level workshop on social media use in August. We are planning to take the social media platforms to every ward and booth and train workers and volunteers on how to use them to take the party’s messages to the digital world,” said Vizag city convener of the party’s social media wing, KVSN Prasad, who runs a software firm.
Videos in Telugu are being made and uploaded on the FB page and Twitter handle. The BJP Andhra Pradesh pages on FB were liked by close to 1.6 lakh people. Interestingly, the recent arrest of five youths in Hyderabad who had links with ISIS was also shown as an achievement of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that comes under home minister Rajanath Singh. Telugu video content of various Union government ministries’ contributions to the state is also being uploaded.
