)
n a move to connect with the people while preparing a “chargesheet” against the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) before the Lok Sabha election in 2014, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is no longer depending on its own leaders but has decided to ask people to send in their suggestions by using several social network means, including facebook, twitter, flickr, youtube, email and sms on mobile phone.
The main opposition party launched a dedicated website, www.bjp.org/upachargesheet, for the people to register themselves and add their suggestions using various means of social network to enable the BJP leadership to know the issues that irk the people against the union government. This is the first time that BJP has launched a website to prepare a chargesheet and is not depending upon its own leadership.
“The use of social network is for people who are technology friendly and those who already use these means of communication on a regular basis. This doesn’t mean that people who don’t have access to social network will not be contacted by BJP leadership. We are going to Guwahati, Lucknow, Bangalore and Mumbai in September to have extended discussions with people and get their views on chargesheet,” said Gopinath Munde, deputy Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
Interestingly, the extensive use of social media by the party in its campaign for 2014 general election is the brainchild of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi who wants the party leadership to attack Congress led union government on social media platforms so that a public debate starts against the UPA.
Munde further added that the visit to Mumbai on September 4 will focus on issues related to farmers and industry leaders while similar visit to Bangalore will have meetings with professionals from information technology sector and industry leaders on the problems related to some of the policy decisions taken by the union government.
“We have described the last 9 years of rule of UPA as the dark decade of mal-governance which has led India to be unsafe and distressed. The idea of the using social media and meetings with people is to involve the people and get their feedback, especially the young people,” said Ravi Shankar Prasad, deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. Senior leaders of the party said that in the second phase of its country wide tours and meetings, BJP leaders will also travel to other cities in October to get a view of the people and their problems.
