Shashwat Gautam Appointed Congress Data Analytics Coordinator

Shashwat Gautam has previously worked with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

Shashwat Gautam will be in-charge of the design of communication narrative and working at booth-level of the party.

(Photo: Twitter)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has appointed Shashwat Gautam as the National Coordinator of the All India Congress Committee's (AICC) Data Analytics Department, headed by Praveen Chakravarty, on Wednesday, 19 September.

The department was set up by Gandhi just seven months ago, in February.

Gautam’s Role

Previously based in the US, Gautam has worked for JD(U) Chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar since 2013, and has now left the party to join the Congress.

Gautam will be in-charge of the design of communication narrative and will be working on booth-level engagement for the party, which is gearing up for the assembly elections in various states – and for the 2019 general elections.

Connecting Party Workers to Party Leadership

Speaking to The Quint, Chakravarty said that his own specific role will be to oversee the Congress party’s communication to party workers and to the voters through the Shakti platform, and that Gautam will be in charge of implementing that at the ground level.

The platform is a phone-based pilot project to establish direct contact between party workers, supporters and the central leadership, he said.

Congress will be using data analytics, high-end technology, and artificial intelligence and machine learning to establish this communication, Chakravarty added.

“The Congress needs to energise the party with the party workers. Over the years, the engagement has reduced dramatically. Let’s say you’re a booth worker in Kairana constituency in UP, you’ve had no connection with the party. But with technology, you start connecting with the party. With Shakti, I will know each and every booth worker. I will start engaging with them, the Congress President starts engaging directly. This energises the party workers, the cadres. This engagement is what Shashwat will be in-charge of in my department.”

Praveen Chakravarty to The Quint

‘Can’t Compare Strategies of BJP, Congress’

While Chakravarty said that he does not want to compare the strategies of Congress and the BJP, he asserted that his party aims to use technology to communicate in a meaningful manner.

“We are not making artificial claims that based on missed calls, we are the largest party in the world. That is nonsense in my view. We use technology to go down to the booth level in a very meaningful manner. We are taking an X-ray of the party. We take into consideration where we are strong and where we are not. So the BJP says a lot of things, but I do not want to compare our efforts with theirs.”

Praveen Chakravarty to <b>The Quint</b>

‘Congress Wants Educated People to Join Mainstream Politics’

Chakravarty added that the Congress party was “keen to attract” educated people and professionals into mainstream politics, and that his department provides an entry-point to many such people.

“A lot of them are joining the party through the data analytics department – Shashwat Gautam is one such example. There are many who are educated, people who have no family links to politics, people from various walks of life, who are all joining the party.”

Praveen Chakravarty to <b>The Quint</b>