In Gujarat, Video War Unleashed As BJP, Congress Eye Young Voters

Gandhinagar: After memes and slogans, the Congress and BJP are now waging a video war on social media as the Gujarat campaign for elections next month gets more intense. Activist Hardik Patel's team is also targeting the ruling BJP with an aggressive video campaign aimed at harnessing the support of Gujarat's younger voters. 65 per cent of the state's voters are under 35.

The BJP has released a series of videos on its Hu Chhu Vikas...hu chhu Gujarat(I am development... I am Gujarat) theme. One of the videos takes a cue from the popular "Mauka Mauka" promo of the cricket world cup, featuring cricket fans with "Congress" written on their jerseys looking despondent at seeing their team lose to the BJP.

In another, popular Gujarati actor Naresh Kanodia gives a sermon to youngsters making fun of "Vikas" or development. It's an attack on the Congress for its "Vikas gando thayu chhe (development gone crazy)" slogan.

The Congress too has released videos - Vikas gando thayu chhe remains the catchline - featuring mime artistes taking dig at the BJP's claim of development in Gujarat.
 Hardik Patel's videos show youngsters discussing what the call the BJP's "fake Gujarat growth model" and call out to the youth to join the "movement". Mr Patel, the 24-year-old face of the Patel or Patidar agitation for reservation in government jobs or colleges, has said he will help the Congress in its attempt to defeat the BJP, which has been in power for the last 22 years straight. Hardik Patel accuses the BJP of betraying the Patels, loyal supporters of the party for years, by not meeting their quota demand.

The Gujarat BJP has at least half a dozen teams, mostly operating out of the party headquarters, not only to create and promote their own videos, but also to keep an eye on what the rival camp is churning out.

"We are not only promoting videos which showcase the Gujarat growth story but are keeping track of the falsehood spread by the Congress online,'' said Pankaj Shukla, who leads the BJP's social media team."

The Congress' videos are being produced by professional agencies and its own teams are focused on promoting them. Party sources said about over 80 techies are on the job.

"We know whenever the BJP is under pressure they will go on communal issues so we ran a campaign called jo jo pachi chetri na jaye which means beware they don't fool you again,'' said Rohan Gupta who heads the Congress' social media team.

Gujarat votes on December 9 and 14 in two phases and votes will be counted on December 18.