Congress becoming more decentralised under Rahul Gandhi: Priyanka Chaturvedi to WION

The biggest challenge for the Congress post-2014 shock defeat was to change its perception in the civil society and media. Rahul Gandhi gradually made changes in various wings of the party but changes in media department were most drastic and visible. He also appointed Priyanka Chaturvedi as the Convenor of the AICC Communication.

She spoke to WION's Kartikeya Sharma at length on the changes made within the media department and overhaul done by Rahul.

WION: How has media landscape changed for the Congress after 2014?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: Before 2014, there came a point when media was not willing to give us space. We would not even get a response time on debates. But things are changing. The change is happening. Post 2014-15, the country was waiting to see implementation and policy focus of the Modi government and things he promised. However, now there is a perceptible shift. People are asking questions and media response too has changed. But tough questions need to be asked to those in power by media. The shift has taken place but it is not total.
 
WION: What has been the biggest challenge of the Congress party when it comes to media?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: Many channels, websites and other publications grew during our tenure (at the Centre) but not being able to keep up with this growth phenomena is what we lacked in 2014. However, there is a shift happening through consumers. We are trying to get a right balance in our communication model. It has to be more frequent. We also need to change with the times. We are also creating a fluid and flexible structure where we are available to answering questions. We are also more people focused and by leveraging technology we are getting voices heard in the din of fake news.
 
WION: Why could Congress not adjust to the nature of change in the media? Why did it happen?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: I think when a party is in power, you sometime do not understand the impact it has on your organisation. This a problem which BJP is also facing at this point of time. Sometimes management of the problem takes place at the expense of the organisation.
 
WION: Don't you think media houses have become easy scapegoats in fight between political parties whereas the problem of fake news emanates from anonymous accounts in social media?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: I couldn't agree more with you. Social media is unregulated. Earlier there was a belief that media was a gatekeeper, but social media ended that. But what has happened is that social media is setting the agenda for mainstream channel and that is being carried forward by them. Why don't we have a fact check system in this context? Problem arises when mainstream media amplifies social media content without verifying it. They also need to be held accountable. Statutory bodies should be empowered rather than depending on the government to bring in regulation.

WION: Mainstream media becomes the whipping boy whereas the problem lies somewhere else?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: The (social media) platform is absolutely unregulated and we need a free and fair discussion on this matter. Policy needs to be created which doesn't seem to be happening.

WION: How has your department changed over time? There was a time when 10 people were saying 10 different things about the party...

Priyanka Chaturvedi: There are lessons we have learnt. Lot of newcomers have now got a chance to join the department. Our structure has become more flexible and we are using multiple platforms. We have ensured that our representation in regional channels goes up. The problem of accessibility is being taken care of. We are accessible, fluid, flexible and more informed. We also ensure that content to all is readily available.

WION: What is Congress president Rahul Gandhi's vision when it comes to your department?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: Mr Gandhi is very clear about the issue. He believes that departments need to be decentralised. The media department is also restructuring various teams at the state level. He is letting us take initiatives within the party.

WION: But it took a long time for Rahul Gandhi to rename his Twitter handle as Rahul Gandhi from the Office of Rahul Gandhi...

Priyanka Chaturvedi: I would not say that he took a lot of time. There are people who are not open about their own lives. Their choice of interaction is very personal. But these platforms have huge impact and when you have a government which doesn't allow opposition to speak, you have to rely on these platforms. So, you see him speaking at lot of forums engaging with lot of people, but it is being noticed and observed now. Leave opposition, even media voice is being challenged. Engaging with people and being heard is very important and that is being done from bottom to the top.

WION: Despite increased TV, newspaper and social media presence, Congress has failed to win states. What do you have to say about that?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: We are trying to build our entire communication narrative. Democracy goes through a cycle. Change is a constant. We will see an upswing. We witnessed a downswing earlier. Media component amplifies what the organisation does and I believe that mood of the nation is changing, and people have started to question the government.

WION: There was lot of controversy around Cambridge Analytica. How do you respond to it?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: It is a ridiculous charge. It was made by none other than our Law Minister. He used newspaper reports to make allegations against us. If there is any truth in the matter he should take it to the Supreme Court and wait for how SC responds to it. Cambridge Analytica, when it started operation in India, came with SCL. It had 4 co-founders and one of them, Avnish Rai, has categorically said that CA was paid by one of the BJP sympathisers to sabotage Congress campaign in 2014. However, they did not find much success in that. What you cannot do away with is the fact that OVI's vice president claimed that he worked with BJP in four election-bound states which included Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana and Delhi. He also mentioned that they were working with the BJP for Mission 272. What cannot be missed is that the missed call drive was also handled by them. These are the questions which have gone unanswered. Who leveraged technology and is talking big about it? It is BJP.
 
WION: Mantra for the old Congress was alliances. What is the mantra of the new Congress? Is it organisation?

Priyanka Chaturvedi: Alliances are very important in democracy. We ran a government with alliance partners and gave good growth story. Alliances with regional parties is a reality today. Perhaps we are seeing a phase where regional parties are playing an important role. It has to be balance of both organisation and alliance. Today alliance is a reality and cannot be done away with.