New Congress media response group to meet on 2 May

New Delhi: With an eye on fine tuning its media strategy ahead of the general elections, the Congress’ new seven-member media response group will have its first formal meeting in New Delhi on 2 May. Party sources said the meeting will be held at 15 GRG, also called the War Room of Congress, which becomes operational mainly during elections.  The party has set up three special units, including the high-level seven-member team, to formulate its political strategy and response on key issues. The move comes in the backdrop of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi repeatedly expressing his keenness to get the party the cutting edge, which helps in responding effectively to the Opposition’s sustained media campaigns against it. As per the ‘Process Manual for News Response Team’ circulated among select Congress leaders, three separate units were formed for tracking news and conducting research for content, formulating political strategy and communicating the party’s stand. Of this, the main body called Media Response Group, which will formulate political response defining the party line for any events and policy, will have the Political Secretary to the Congress President, the Chairman Media Committee, the I&B Minister, the MoS (PMO) as its members besides the in-charges for Research Team and Social Media. Currently, party spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit chairs the Research Team while party MP Deepender Hooda heads the social media team. As and when required, the group will seek suggestions from the Congress President, the Prime Minister and the party Vice President. The group for ‘Tracking News and Conducting Research’ will keep track of news and events including those on social media and recommend subjects to which Congress needs to respond. People communicating party line will have spokespersons, social media managers and ‘Khidkee’ administrators and users. Khidkee is social media network by the Indian Youth Congress. This unit will be the official channel to communicate the party line on key issues or events and will “seed the print, social and electronic media with the the party view.” PTI