After ceaseless allegations and counter-allegations in the media, the BJD and the BJP have of late chosen social media to cross swords.
While the BJP has been alleging that the last 17 years rule by the BJD in Odisha have gone in vain with massive corruption, apart from diversion and non execution of several schemes of the Central Government, the BJD has turned the heat at the BJP by raising a series of posers on the effectiveness of the Central Government and the apathy to Odisha.
However, while the two parties are on an aggressive campaigning against each other eyeing the 2019 polls , which has picked up momentum since the national executive meet of the BJP at Bhubaneswar where the saffron party declared an open war against the ruling BJD, the rivalry taken to the social media arena has added a new dimension to it.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been quite active in the social media, as much as his office. The CMO is posting all important decisions taken by the Government and the major milestones achieved in different sectors in the facebook with a view to connect with the people. The CM has asked his cadres to be in direct touch with the people by effectively using all possible means, including the social media. This may be his answer to the BJP national president Amit Shah’s booth wise people connect programme in Odisha.
The surge of the BJP reflected by the panchayat polls and its plan and programmes seizing upon an anti-incumbency wave against the BJD Government have forced Chief Minister Patnaik to be on a overdrive.
To offset the BJP’s mileage after its national executive in Odisha, the BJD took up a serious of steps, including the Biju birth centenary, the CM’s personal meeting with the PRI representatives and listening to their suggestions and most importantly, Patnaik reshuffling in the Ministry by weeding out some of the tainted Ministers for an image makeover.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s powerful oratory has no match, the BJD looks no way to be left behind in the propaganda drive in social media, at least.