Uttar Pradesh polls: Party war rooms' with new-age tech

Lucknow: They were the traditional backroom boys that formed the backbone of election activity in every party. They quietly and efficiently did their work and remained away from media glare. They managed every problem — from sending funds to candidates, arranging the programmes of star campaigners and providing election material to media persons.

This year, however, the backroom boys are positioned in front of election activity in every party. They sit in air conditioned comfort of ‘war rooms’, are equipped smartphones, multiple TV screens, internet facilities and allowed to project their expertise in the media.

The Samajwadi war room is located in the Janeshwar Misra Trust office, adjacent to the state party headquarters, and manned by Ashish Yadav, a media communication expert. With nearly 50 girls and boys working round the clock, the war room monitors the media content related to the party while another section is concentrating on the digital content on social media. Yet another module works as a research cell.

Aftab, a Lucknow native, heads their digital section — that takes care of campaigns across Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp and sends out ad campaigns on social media.

The BJP has set up a similar war room and Danish, 28, a management expert, is in charge of monitoring TV channels. He sits in a room that has eight TVs. His job is to prepare a report for the senior leaders.