Mumbai, July 11 (IANS): Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan Friday expressed doubts whether a US presidential style of campaigning adopted by the BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections would be replicated in the upcoming state assembly elections.
"Narendra Modi was branded like a product, a soap or a toothpaste, which apparently clicked with the voters... This type of campaign was new to the Congress," Chavan said, addressing media-persons, a day after the party decided not to replace him before the state assembly elections.
He expessed doubts whether this strategy could be repeated in the state assembly elections.
Chavan felt that the social media campaign launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could make an impact in the parliamentary polls as it was used to "spread rumours and denigrate opponents".
"I do hope that the Election Commission takes note of the long hours of live broadcast on television channels and whether it falls in the paid news category," he said, referring to the BJP campaign in the months before the April-May elections.
He asserted that winning the trust and confidence of the people at the lowest social rungs cannot be replaced by technology like social media.
"We will also be using technology and other forms of communication to highlight the achievements of the past 15 years of the state government here," Chavan added.
He alleged that though the Shiv Sena-BJP ruled the state for five years (1995-1999), they were nowhere for the next 15 years as they had done nothing to prove they are a credible alternative.
"In contrast, the Congress-NCP governments have done lot of work in different fields like health, infrastructure, revenue, launching people-oriented schemes and other projects which have benefitted the masses," Chavan said.
On the party high command's decision enabling him to lead the party the assembly polls, he said that he would strive to bag the maximum number of seats.
On Thursday, the Congress set at rest all speculation about Chavan's fate by announcing that he would continue as CM and also lead the party in the state polls.