When opponent is low, go high: D K Shivakumar to Congress social media cell

Bengaluru: Political battles are no longer fought only during elections but increasingly in the virtual space. The social media war between the ruling Congress and the BJP has intensified amid the “power tussle” in the former.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D K Shivakumar on Wednesday reviewed the party’s social media wing and offered guidance on strengthening its digital outreach.

“When the opponent goes low, go high,” was the message conveyed by the deputy chief minister, as the party seeks to leverage its social media potential to push positive messaging to the grassroots.

The social media team, headed by Aishwarya Mahadev, was advised to focus on strengthening the organisation and amplifying its message to reach booth and grassroots-level workers.

Shivakumar directed that responses to use of derogatory language from opponents must be fact-based and incisive. He instructed the team to remain respectful in all public discourse and maintain a disciplined communication strategy.

He also urged the team to stay vigilant and flag all “serious violations” by the BJP. According to party leaders, opposition parties are allegedly spreading fake news and filing false cases against the Congress workers.

To counter this, the social media wing will remain in constant coordination with the party’s legal team to address what leaders described as false cases and misinformation campaigns.