Youth Congress’ social media strategy: Selling ‘Two years of Captain model’

However, the Punjab Youth Congress has already started and running two major campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms — ‘Vadhda Punjab, Badalda Punjab (Developing Punjab, Changing Punjab) which focuses on two years of ‘achievements’ of the Congress-led government in Punjab and ’60 Saal Vich Congress Da Yodgaan’ (Contribution of Congress in 60 Years), which is highlighting past achievements of party governments.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Kahlon said that already an army of 10,000 booth-level social campaign volunteers is working in Punjab and the target is to reach 25,000 volunteers across the state as campaigning heats up. “Though polls in Punjab are scheduled in last phase, we have already started social media mobilising. Booth-level volunteers are sharing creatives with common voters. Their work is to make information reach common voters even those who are not on social media. Apart from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, there are several other new media platforms now which we are targeting like SnapChat and WhatsApp,” he said.

He further that the creatives which are being posted are focused on the two years of “achievements” of the Congress government in Punjab, which will be used not only in the state but also other states. “The strategy is to compare works done by the Captain’s government in two years in Punjab with zero performance of Modi in five years. If Modi can sell fake Gujarat model in country and become PM, we can definitely advertise Captain Model not only in Punjab but entire country for people to see difference between Congress and BJP governments. Our focus will also be farm loan debt waiver scheme implemented successfully in Punjab. The Youth Congress social media teams across country will be planning final strategy but for Punjab, we are already focusing on Captain model of development to counter Modi,” said Kahlon, a graduate from Gurdaspur.

He claimed that the difference between Congress and BJP social media campaign is the latter “banking on paid workers”. “We have volunteers to run our social media campaign whereas BJP pays it’s workers for every tweet and post,” he claimed, adding that current hashtags being focused on Twitter are #ChowkidarChorHai and #MainBhiBerozgar to counter BJP and Narendra Modi’s #MainBhiChowkidar.

The creatives being shared by Punjab Youth Congress on it’s official verified page on Facebook are in Punjabi to connect with the voters in Punjab. From Mars Orbiter Mission launched in 2013 to Indo-US nuclear deal signed under former PM Manmohan Singh, the Youth Congress is trying to dig it out all under Congress-led governments in Punjab and ’60 Saal Vich Congress Da Yodgaan’ campaign on social media. Another series of creatives being run on ‘achievements’ of Captain Amarinder Singh compare ‘Vaada’ (Promise) with ‘Nateeja’ (result), for instance- Vaada (STF for drugs), Nateeja (21,985 FIRs registered, 26,088 drug peddlers arrested and 562 kg heroin recovered).

Another tagline being used by Youth Congress comparing ten years of UPA government with five years of NDA is ‘Ki To Ki Ho Gaya Dekhde Dekhde’ (What Has Happened in Five years) and Desh Da Kisaan Ro Reha Hai, Desh Da Chowkidar So Reha Hai (Farmers in country are weeping, Country’s Chowkidar is sleeping).

“Soon, we will be coming out with more creative campaigns to counter Modi on social media but focus in Punjab will be on Captain Model of development in two years,” said Kahlon.