Smriti Irani asked whether Rahul Gandhi plans to win polls in Russia, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. Here's why
Read on to find out why Twitterati are posting messages with the hashtag #RahulWaveinKazhakh.
Smriti Irani and the BJP are determined to wrest Amethi, Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha's constituency, from the Congress vice-president's grasp. The I&B Minister, who lost to Rahul in the last parliamentary elections, has often taken on the Nehru-Gandhi family's scion.
So why would she post a tweet about a 'Rahul wave?' And a #RahulWaveinKazhakh, of all places?
Perhaps @OfficeOfRG planning to sweep polls in Russia, Indonesia & Kazakhstan ?? #RahulWaveInKazakh https://t.co/xVanl2mKGh https://t.co/Yhl1oAGqOg- Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) October 21, 2017
The answer is in an ANI report published on Saturday afternoon.
That report, titled 'Bots behind rise in Rahul Gandhi's Twitter popularity?' says "alleged 'bots' with a Russian, Kazakh or Indonesian characteristic" have been "routinely RT-ing the Congress VP's tweets."
'Bots,' or web robots, mass retweet in an automated manner.
ANI notes that these handles have some common features: they "usually" have less than ten followers, only post retweets "comprised of random topics from across the world and those of Rahul Gandhi."
Meanwhile, BJP sources have claimed that close to 85% of the handles retweeting @OfficeofRG posts have less than 1,000 followers. An recent India Today magazine report said @OfficeofRG added a million followers in the short spaces of two months.
BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasehar didn't take too long to join the conversation. Nor did Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
Desperate times call for desperate measures ? ?????? https://t.co/MkPa2glDmi- Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@rajeev_mp) October 21, 2017
In sports, this would come under Doping.... hey wait!??does dope remind you of someone ??? https://t.co/xulfk1ENtI- Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) October 21, 2017
Amit Malviya, who runs the BJP's IT cell, also spoke of the Congress' "desperation" in one of a series of tweets. He threw in a James Bond reference, too.
Congress social media head was on a PR overdrive on how she re-launched Rahul Gandhi.. She deployed fake bots! https://t.co/fjhLTjEkI7 pic.twitter.com/iHfTdcIyKh- Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) October 21, 2017
Rahul Gandhi should have known that popularity cant be bought, certainly not from Russia, Kazakhstan. Congress social media dream aborted? pic.twitter.com/0I3c8lDtzC- Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) October 21, 2017
In their desperation to crown Rahul Gandhi, Congress bought him some love from Russia too! #RahulWaveInKazakh https://t.co/fjhLTjEkI7 pic.twitter.com/g2cER4d4rQ- Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) October 21, 2017
And Akhilesh Mishra, the CEO of the NGO BlueKraft Digital Foundation, tweeted what he said was a list of fake handles which were opened in recent weeks. He also posted a graphic which uses follower count as a parameter to categorise handles which retweeted Rahul Gandhi's 'Trump needs another hug' comment.
Handles that RT tweets of Rahul Gandhi- 0 followers, less than 10 tweets,opened in last few weeks.Snapshot of these obvious fake handles.2/3 pic.twitter.com/jjE62qs4qY- Akhilesh Mishra (@amishra77) October 21, 2017
Another factoid in #RahulWaveInKazakh story: A break up of those who RTed his Donald Trump tweet. Almost 90% with less than 1000 followers. pic.twitter.com/dFVMeNW8pp- Akhilesh Mishra (@amishra77) October 21, 2017
Mishra says on his LinkedIn page that he volunteered for Prime Minster Narendra Modi's 2014 election campaign. He later worked for MyGov India, a citizen engagement platform.
"When nothing worked for Rahul Gandhi - neither lame jokes nor fake news - he has finally taken refuge in bots," he said in another tweet.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had this to say.
Wanted bots. Caste, creed, sex, nationality no bar. Basic knowledge of English preferable but not essential. Must have own phone/computer.- Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 21, 2017
It's worth noting that the BJP has itself been accused of building a database of fake handles to boost Narendra Modi's popularity.
CONGRESS' RESPONSE
Rahul Gandhi hasn't responded to the BJP's allegations, but other Congress leaders have.
Rajiv Shukla, an MP, told India Today that the saffron party is worried the Congress is on a resurgence drive ahead of crucial Assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
Divya Spandana, the chief of Social Media and Digital Communications for the Congress, told ANI: "On Twitter one tweets and what happens after that is not in our control. You will have to speak to Twitter to get clarity."
But on Twitter, she also called ANI's report "factually wrong."
Story is factually wrong. Can understand your eagerness to please the I&B ministry and the Bots Janata Party. https://t.co/qQfqi6jMfc- Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) October 21, 2017
She didn't explain why, but later retweeted this post by @sidmtweets.
10 bots on which ANI story is based,activated 4 days ago.RGs tweet was 6 days ago.Out of 54K reaction how ANI journo identified only them?- Sid (@sidmtweets) October 21, 2017
Spandana also shot back this tweet at Smriti Irani.
Why do we need them when we have you? ??? https://t.co/2lGH49maeD- Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) October 21, 2017