Social media politics intensifies in West Bengal

The social media war between the three major parties -- the TMC, CPI(M) and BJP -- in West Bengal is heating up ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.

While the BJP seems to have gained an advantage over the other two, the Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) are leaving no stones unturned to close the gap.

The CPI(M), which is more used to conventional ways of electoral politics and public outreach such as rallies, meetings and protest demonstrations, is going all out to ramp up its social media presence. Until recently, upholding the party’s agenda and activities on social media was mostly a voluntary task for cadres but now it has been turned into a mandatory duty by the state leadership.

According to CPI(M) sources at the state level, there is a 12-member team to conduct social media activities. Well-versed in social media, they perform the task of collecting campaign materials for the party but not all of them are full-time members.

The social media unit in each district is headed by district committee members. Sources said that the party currently has a 70,000-strong social media unit and has set a target to have 1 lakh members for the units. Currently, politburo member Md. Salim is the convener of the state social media unit.

As for the TMC, the party has set up a 15-member team at the state level to oversee its social media activities. The operations at the district level are headed by a 25-member team. The ruling party in the state has put one person each in all the 294 Assembly constituencies to head its social media campaign. The overall social media campaign of the TMC is conducted by electoral strategist Prashant Kishor.

According to sources in both the CPI(M) and the TMC, countering the “social media propaganda” of the BJP is the main focus of their social media teams as it was still very difficult to compete with the saffron party in terms of resources and funds.

The BJP, however, has gained a significant lead over its rivals. Led by a 15-member team at the state, the party has set up a network of 40,000 WhatsApp groups in West Bengal with 150 members in each group.

Party sources said that currently, the BJP can reach out to at least 60 lakh people in the state through these WhatsApp groups. Each member of the social media unit has been tasked with circulating at least five “materials” per day.