On
17th April 2014 Karnataka will go for a single phase LS polls, and is indeed
one of the toughest elections ever for the party I support and associated with.
Ever since I remember I have been part of INC election campaigns but this elections has been the most exciting as the campaign has been both online and offline.
When
I started using Twitter for the first time all I could see was anti-INC,
anti-Gandhi, anti-UPA rants and abuses. Few of my pro-Govt & pro-INC tweets and replies
were trolled and attacked viciously and it did scare me and bother me for days. But reading @GSurya tweets made
me realize that it’s important to put out your voice and facts irrespective of what
the trolls are going to say, hence started my braver and bolder version as INC
supporter.
During Karnataka assembly elections some
of us in Bangalore tweeted and shared updates on FB pages along with our
offline campaign in our constituencies and we got to know each other, were glad that #NammaSarkara came to power with a big number.
Aby
once called me and asked if I want to be part of pro-INC Social Media
initiative, the answer was a big YES. Eventually
all like minded INC supporters initiated by @WithCongress came together with a
common objective to put out facts and to counter BJP & RSS propaganda and divisive
online campaign. All of us had one philosophy not to abuse or use language that
INC as a party does not subscribe to or that would embarrass the party.
Meeting
and interacting with people like @GauravPandhi,
@RachitSeth, @Vishesh4, @Kashyap_1982, @MaxMelbin, @Bhushannag, @Srivatsayb made
me more proud supporter of INC, it assured me that I have support whenever I
get trolled or targeted by nasty Modi Bhakts or Swamy Patriots :)
Highlights
of our online support for INC was when Shri Digvijay Singh invited us to meet CM
Siddhu, DKS, HM George, KPCC President, BKC (thanks to Gaurav) and we shared our
views and how we will be helping Karnataka Govt and INC to spread information, put
out facts and counter propaganda online. The smile on CM’s face said it all; he
was thrilled when Shri Digvijay Singh said ‘they just do not want Modi to come
to power’.
Over
the last one year (almost) we trended hastags, shared views, shared data, put out facts,
countered allegations and rhetoric, debated with actual data of UPA Govt achievement, shared data on
Gujarat, questioned Modi fearlessly, dissected Modi speeches, made fun of his
lies and errors, replied to trolls with data, questioned media for biased
reporting, questioned journalists on their silence over Modi, supported INC, made witty comments, replied aggressively, made strong comments, spoke for INC , shared whatsapp messages, defended INC and its Leaders with data and made our presence felt in the social
media that was once dominated by right wingers and we also won support of many neutrals.
Winning moments came when I got messages appreciating the updates and information that I was fearlessly putting out, even though I was trolled several times by my BJP friends :). There were few friends who took digs at me or trolled me, but my updates were not for converted, it was indeed for who were undecided, unsure or who were looking for information and logical debates/comments/updates. Many of my close friends were uncomfortable with my hard support for INC, but I was/am doing my duty as an informed citizen, asking uncomfortable questions, countering rhetoric with data with a single objective that India should decide based on FACTS.
My proudest moment as an online supporter was when Nandan Nilekani was in HSR Layout and I met few of his team members (non-political people), when I introduced myself their first reaction was ‘oh Kavitha Reddy the strongest supporter of INC, have read your tweets’ :)
As
election day comes closer and offline campaign ends, there is a sense of
satisfaction that I have done my best to put out facts both online and offline and at least ensure that
people who are neutrals, who are non-political, who would vote based on facts,
who appreciated arguments will go and vote for a Good/Right/Best candidate who
represents the Idea of India.
As
voters we have the responsibility to vote and elect a Good/Right/Best candidate
as our MP, so give your conscience the option to choose the right MP who can
represent you in the Lok Shaba. When you press that button let it be ONLY for a
Good/Right/Best candidate. Be assured that when we choose the Good/Right/Best
candidate ONLY then we can expect a Good/Right/Best Government.
Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka
#BharatKeMazbootHaath
#BharatKeMazbootHaath