Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) is testing an app to make conversations among its own party members more organised and efficient, in what is the latest of the party’s efforts to make use of Internet-enabled services and social media.
The app, called BJP Connect, is already listed on Google Play for BJP-affiliated officials to download, though in our brief testing we found that much of app’s functionality isn’t full baked in yet. A sneak peek at the app suggests that BJP wants its party member across all levels – national, state, district, mandal, and booth – to come onboard via the app.
The BJP Connect collaboration app requires users to provide their details and submit it for verification, an understandable move that will ensure that only authorised personnel can communicate with other members. According to the listing on Google Play, officials will be able to talk to each other privately as well as in groups.
Gadgets 360’s queries to the party’s IT Cell on the app remain unanswered.
“These chat groups will support organisational hierarchy to help admins conduct polls, provide tasks, take opinions, capture public pulse and broadcast live videos,” the party describes on Google Play. BJPConnect will also have features such as task reminders, ability to search for a personnel’s designation and region, request for verification of a member, accept feedback, hold polls, and “capture public opinion” through surveys. Members will also be able to share live video broadcast with others.
BJP Connect app identifies NarendraModi.in, the official team handling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s website and app, as its developer. The other app listed under the same team is PM Modi’s official Narendra Modi app, which the Prime Minister uses to send messages to citizens in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a savvy social media user, utilising Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share messages with citizens of India. BJP too has been realising the potential of Facebook and WhatsApp apps to communicate with people.
During the election in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, the election commission in the state used Microsoft’s Kaizala app to hold surveys with citizens in the state and hear their feedback. According to a report, the app will be functional and live starting next month, and the party plans to make use of it in the next year’s state election of Karnataka.
