Mission Karnataka: PM Modi to interact via app with 224 candidates

BENGALURU: The BJP has kept its technology backend ready to facilitate a mega interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party candidates, legislators, MPs, and office-bearers in Karnataka on Thursday morning.

The interaction will happen through Narendra Modi app, and begin at 9 am.

“The PM will interact with all 224 party candidates (in Karnataka). He will not only address them, but will also hear them. It is going to be a two-way communication,” said BJP spokesperson Malavika Avinash. The PM is expected to share some tips wiith the pollbound candidates, she added.


The interaction, according to her, will give a boost to the campaign and confidence of candidates as it will not be physically possible for the PM to visit all constituencies. The PM has set aside 30 minutes for the interaction.

“We are all set to host the interaction,” said Balaji Srinivas, BJP’s social media cell convenor and a former techie. “The participants will join the call from various places, and the Prime Minister will address them from New Delhi,” he added.

The party is expecting more than 1500 people to participate. “We have helped instal apps in mobile handsets and ensured that all participants have it,” said Srinivas. The participants, he said, can ask questions through the app in the video interaction.

The Prime Minister has interacted with party MPs in this manner before. However, this will be the first time he will be interacting on such a large scale. “This is a first of its kind exercise and will go a long way in boosting the confidence of candidates and party workers,” he said.

The BJP, according to its social media cell, has about 20,000 WhatsApp groups in Karnataka with Bengaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Mumbai-Karnataka districts topping in the party’s social media activities.

Closer to May 12 polls, the Prime Minister is expected to hold campaign rallies in various parts of the state. He is expected to address about 15 public meetings from May 1, and the party is yet to release the details of the PM’s programmes in Karnataka.