Congress unveils new social media platform, Khidki, for partymen

NEW DELHI: Congress wrapped up its two-day media workshop on Tuesday with training modules for all its spokespersons, teaching them how to make a clear point on all national issues in 30 seconds on television or in 140 characters on social networking site Twitter.

The second day of the workshop had training modules by I&B minister Manish Tewari, spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit and MP Deepender Hooda. Tewari taught the spokespersons dos and don’ts of holding a press meet and how to make a crisp point within 30 seconds. He made a pitch for taking forward the secular agenda, asking spokespersons to talk strongly on issues related to communalism.

“You should not get unnerved by the strong language of the Opposition. You should remain polite but not soft,” Tewari was quoted as saying by a state spokesperson who attended the meet.

“We should not waiver from this agenda,” Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal told reporters here. The minister also advised the spokespersons to read at least for three hours to remain well-prepared on current issues.

Dikshit addressed the module on research and Hooda on social media. The concluding day of the workshop saw MoS for HRD, Shashi Tharoor, giving lessons, through video conferencing, in the use of Twitter and Facebook.

In his dos and don’ts prescription, Tharoor, who was earlier Under Secretary General of UN for Communication and Public Information, carried forward with Rahul Gandhi’s line of positive politics and decent language.

Congress has also unveiled a new social media platform, Khidki, for partymen. This would also have research and information database which would be used by spokespersons. Dikshit told participants on how to make use of research material on Khidki.