CPI(M) in West Bengal plans to make a splash on social media, to engage social media volunteers

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in West Bengal is planning to go big on various social media platforms. The party is currently preparing a database of people within the party who will volunteer to spread the party’s messages among people, especially by forming different WhatsApp groups locally.

 

The focus is the grassroots level – the party is preparing a list of names at the booth level (there are 77,000 booths in the state) who will spread the party’s messages and relevant issues primarily through WhatsApp groups. The maximum number allowed in each WhatsApp group is currently 256.

 

“The mainstream media doesn’t write on the Left parties. And we understand more and more the huge impact of social media. Earlier, we couldn’t grasp its impact. It is a huge platform where we can spread our message to the people,” a CPM central committee member said.

 

Currently, the social media cell at Alimuddin Street, Kolkata, has about five persons who prepare posters and messages circulated on various social media platforms – its Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as to the various top leaders who spread it down to the districts and block levels. But there’s more to be done. Moreover, the CPI-M top brass feels the need to go local in this.

 

“Issues in Purulia aren’t necessarily relevant in Darjeeling. Neither are people in every region of West Bengal interested in every detail of the Ram Mandir or the Taj Mahal. They would rather talk about the rights or tribals (in Purulia) or the minimum wage of tea garden labourers (in Darjeeling),” the central committee member said. Therefore social media volunteers will engage with people at the booth level on various issues relevant in that area. Once the list is finalised, the volunteers will be trained. “This is a basic training. Most people know the basics of using Android phones already,” the CPM leader said.

 

All this wouldn’t require huge money either. “We can’t spend lakhs like the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Trinamool Congress for social media blitzkrieg. Neither can we create fake profiles. We are therefore engaging our own party members and/or supporters to do the job. They are mostly young persons who can devote more time and are also enthusiastic about spending time on social media,” he said.

 

The party will however, pay monthly expenses on internet subscription (Rs 200 per person) wherever required. “Some party members have said they don’t want their bills paid by the party, and can manage with their existing internet plans.” Not just WhatsApp, there will be discussions on Facebook and Twitter as well.

 

School teachers, college teachers, students of colleges and universities, trade union members – are being divided into various categories under different WhatsApp groups. “The campaign material will obviously require approval from senior leaders. However, the job of the social media volunteers will be to constantly engage with the various groups on different issues and take their feedback,” the leader said.

 

The CPI-M is also ensuring that every person’s identity in a group is protected. “We don’t want an Opposition party to know the identity of members of our social media groups,” he said.

 

The plan will be effective around October, and from November-December 2018, the CPIM promises to make a splash on social media.

 

This is part of the CPI-M’s political organisational report presented at the state conference in March 2018, where an entire chapter was devoted on social media and the need to go big on various social media platforms to reach out to people.