BHOPAL: Keeping in view the vital part played by social media in the 2014 general elections, the Madhya Pradesh BJP is planning to roll out a messaging software that will be modelled on the popular messaging application, WhatsApp.
The application is likely to be named as “Bhajapa Samvad Setu” and it will be used as a platform to exchange pictures, videos, text within the party workers and with the common people.
“The application is presently undergoing testing and if all goes well, we are planning to launch it before the local bodies elections in the state that are scheduled for year end,” a party functionary with the state information technology cell told Express.
“During our mission 272+, we interacted with crores of citizens through Whatsapp and were able to spread our message to virtually every part of the country. Now we want to have something similar to WhatsApp, which will be made by members of our IT cell and will be based on the needs of the party,” the functionary added.
The party functionary also stated the state wing was hoping that once this messaging service takes off, then it will be replicated in other states too.
“Narendra Modi has been an avid user of the various social media platforms and we are sure that once this messaging service of ours starts working, our colleagues in other states too will do something similar,” the functionary added.
However some of the party leaders said there was no need for a separate messaging platform.
“It has been only a few months since I have been able to properly understand the functions of WhatsApp, which all of us are using across the state and the country. I do not see the logic behind bringing a new messenger,” a party MLA said.
Party functionary said that the Bhajpa Samvad Setu would not be affected by the limitations of only 50 participants in a group, a restriction which is there in WhatsApp.
“It will definitely have the space for more than 50 members. The idea is to have an internal platform where the BJP workers and volunteers can interact in a more customised way,” a member of the IT cell said.