Mumbai, Jan 13 (IANS): The Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday announced the setting up of a 428-strong Social Media Department (SMD) to combat and thwart the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's "propaganda army", officials said here.

The SMD team of 428 office-bearers, including 29 women, comprises a 10-member Core Committee, 48 District Presidents, 252 Assembly Presidents and 118 State Executive Members.

"These are our Social Media Warriors who will do the job of exposing the lies and fakes perpetrated by the BJP propaganda machinery to misguide the nation and the state," Social Media Department Chairman Abhijeet Sapkal told IANS.

The decision follows the directives of the All India Congress Committee's SMD Chairman Rohan Gupta, and State Congress President Balasaheb Thorat for a strong organised setup to counter the misleading disinformation campaign of the BJP at all levels, he added.

"Unlike the BJP, our SMD has only committed Congress workers and cadre who are also very active on the social media, have technical prowess and can effectively counter the daily falsehoods of the Opposition, working without any compensation," Sapkal pointed out.

In the past, the Congress' SMD has worked hard to convey the party's messages to the last man in the society during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, besides the 2019 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections, he said.

"The new SMD team will work positively towards spreading the party's message and goals to the maximum number of people in multiple languages and counter the distortions and deception spread by the Opposition," Sapkal assured.