Invade cyber space, Divya Spandana tells Maharashtra Congress leaders

Divya Spandana with Satyajeet Tambe Patil

The Congress is rising from the ashes in Maharashtra, but its mobility is not upto the mark, especially when it comes to using a potent tool called social media. While party chief Rahul Gandhi's Twitter handle does most of the work, why can't leaders from states, election-bound units in particular, emulate him? Such were the questions that sought answers in the review meetings the party's national head of social media and communications, Divya Spandana, held with veterans and young leaders in Mumbai on Monday.

Divya is single-handedly credited with turning Gandhi's Twitter handle into one of the most popular and most trolled ones in national politics. With the belief that the old should make way for the young, Divya has brought a young face from Delhi, Hasiba Amin, to guide its social media teams in the state and Mumbai. Amin, a leader of the party's student wing, shot into prominence after featuring in a poll ad. She was trolled heavily, but withstood the onslaught with patience, and then strengthened the Congress' social media war against BJP and others. She will work with youngsters in Maharashtra, who are driven by new media.

The first thing that Divya is reported to have told senior leaders, is that they should appropriate netizens who are co­n­sistent in airing anti-BJP and anti-government sentiments. She told the leaders that these people do so without any fear or favour, but when troubled by authorities, as was done in the case of some young people last year, the Congress must stand with them. In a recent case, the NCP took political advantage by supporting the youth. NCP president Sharad Pawar met them to extend his safety net to them.

"Not all youth summoned by the cyber police were followers of NCP, but with much-needed support coming from NCP, they now see it as their saviour. We discussed how we should appropriate this youth power on social media," a leader told mid-day.

To be innovative and appealing was another advice from Divya. The state Congress youth wing's vice-president Satyajeet Tambe Patil said the interaction with Divya was insightful. "We will expose the BJP government in the state. We will tell people their failures," he said.

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