Mumbai News: BJP Utilises SARAL App for Enhanced Grassroots Engagement in Election Strategy

Mumbai: It has been very clear by now that the BJP’s prime thrust to win the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is based on the Modi government’s achievements over the past 9 years. The party is heavily banking on the beneficiaries of various government schemes where the benefits were transferred to them directly into their bank accounts. Apart from direct benefit transfer (DBT), the direct information transfer (DIT) in the form of SARAL mobile application forms one of the pillars of the party's poll strategy.

According to very conservative estimates, there are at least 25 crore beneficiaries across the country whom the BJP sees as the prospective party voters. However, the party is not solely dependent upon these beneficiaries of DBT schemes, but it has also developed its own system for speedy, handy and authentic transfer of information between the top party leadership and the grass root workers. On the lines of DBT, we can call it DIT – Direct Information Transfer. The party calls it SARAL, a short form for Sangathan Reporting and Analysis.

SARAL App Launched by Party in feb

Party launched the SARAL app in February this year. Initially, the response from the party workers was lukewarm. However, the top leadership of the party kept insisting that every office bearer right from the block level until the top should download the app on their mobile phones and should regularly upload details of their daily activities on the app. Since most of the party office bearers now have the app on their mobiles and have started using it regularly, the party is moving a step ahead. Now, even those who are not office bearers of the party, but are loyal workers too will be brought under the net of the app and involved in the two-way information sharing.

“As of now we plan to add up to 50,000 party workers for every assembly segment in the SARAL app net,” said Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson of Maharashtra BJP.

The app is not commonly available on app stores. Whenever an enabled party worker will approach a prospective grass root worker they will need to give a call to a particular number at the BJP office from where a link for the app will then be sent to the person who is to be added to the SARAL net. This style of functioning leaves little room for any kind of manipulation or misuse of the app, he added.