During its two days extensive social media workshop last week, the BJP underscored the importance of real-time responses to counter narratives of the Opposition, citing the delay in addressing senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s social media narratives against the party’s top leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It was highlighted how the ruling party Parliamentarians failed to response swiftly to the grand old party’s Narendra-Surrender hashtag campaign amidst the Operation Sindoor on several social media platforms and ruling party countered it only six hours later of the post by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Led by nine MPs, the program focused on equipping Parliamentarians with skills to amplify Government schemes, counter Opposition narratives and connect directly with constituents. During the workshop, it was also pointed how the ruling Parliamentarians erred in comprehending the sensitivity as the records of the social media extensive presentation showed that more than 50 MPs were on with their scheduled events, programs like inaugurations, exhibitions etc.
The Narendra-Surrender jibe narrative was tutored as a lesson for the MPs, who were urged to collaborate with local influencers for region-specific content and create videos simplifying Government scheme applications. Analytics were highlighted as crucial for tracking reach, impressions, engagement and top-performing posts to refine strategies.
“MPs were also cautioned against common errors, such as sharing misinformation, using complex language, or engaging with negative feedback, and advised to develop nuanced narrative-building skills. Examples of MPs excelling in social media through influencer collaborations and behind-the-scenes videos were showcased as effective ways to connect with younger audiences,” said an insider on the workshop.
The extensive Social Media workshop was for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs to harness social media for effective voter outreach and narrative-building. The workshop, attended by all MPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.
The training was led by MPs Sudhanshu Trivedi (UP) Tejasvi Surya (Karnataka), Kamlesh Paswan (UP), Dr Himang Joshi (Gujarat), Bansuri Swaraj (Delhi), Pradip Kumar Varma (Jharkhand), CP Joshi (Rajasthan), Raju Bista (West Bengal) and Sangeeta Yadav (UP), who delivered presentations to guide their peers.
The initiative reflects the BJP’s strategic focus on strengthening its digital presence, ensuring MPs are equipped to shape discourse, counter misinformation, and promote party ideology effectively. By emphasising consistent and strategic social media engagement, the BJP aims to bridge the gap between parliamentarians and voters, leveraging platforms to amplify its message in the digital era. This workshop marks a pivotal step in modernizing political communication for the party.
The training emphasized social media as a vital tool for unfiltered communication with voters. MPs were guided on building dedicated social media teams, including content writers and designers, to manage their online presence.
The NaMo app was highlighted as a “digital charioteer” to boost engagement, particularly with women voters to promote Nari Shakti. The workshop stressed creating a robust MP communication ecosystem, with social media as its cornerstone, to address local issues, promote Government initiatives, and shape public narratives.
Specific guidelines were provided on content frequency and format. MPs were advised to post 4-5 posts or videos daily on Facebook and X (Twitter) 2-3 posts or videos daily on Instagram, and at least three short videos and one long video weekly on YouTube, said a senior BJP leader.
Sources from the workshop also added that 60 per cent of content should be in video format, complemented by infographics and trending formats. Regular posts on PM Modi’s initiatives, Mann Ki Baat, budgets, national festivals, and major announcements were encouraged, alongside live-streaming public programs and using polls to gauge public sentiment.