Team of 1,500 workers helps JDU go virtual in election year

New Delhi: The Janata Dal (U) in Bihar is building its digital presence and trying to be as strong on the social media as ally BJP, with chief minister Nitish Kumar’ party having set up a media cell of 1,500-odd workers from across the state.

The first big public display of the party’s digital presence will be on August 7, when CM Kumar is scheduled to address a virtual rally. The JDU aims at connecting with 25 lakh people during the event.

The party has already undertaken an exercise to prepare the ground for the virtual rally. On Tuesday, party national general secretary (organisation) and Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh addressed its youth and student wings through digital platforms Facebook and Google Meet.

He plans to hold such meetings with all the 30 party cells (prakoshtha) before July 17.

Later this month, the party will start reaching out to voters in every assembly constituency through digital platforms.

“The party has constituted four separate teams for holding virtual conferences in various assembly seats. These four teams are headed by the party’s senior leaders — Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh, Lok Sabha member Lallan Singh, JDU’s state president Basistha Narayan Singh and state power minister Bijendra Yadav,” a party insider told ET.

He said the JDU would try to touch at least 20 assembly constituencies digitally every day beginning July 17. The state has 243 assembly constituencies.

JDU insiders said Kumar, also its national president, was focusing on strengthening the party organisation at the ground level.

It has set up FB pages for every district.