BJP spent millions on social media influencers in Bengal polls
The promotional content from these influencers included reels, videos, campaign songs, and political analyses in favor of BJP.
Before the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party paid some popular social media influencers in the state for promotional content. This information has emerged from the expenditure data submitted to the Election Commission. The promotional content from these influencers included reels, videos, election songs, and political analysis in favor of the BJP.
The Telegraph Online reported that the list of recipients includes Bengali actor and social media influencer Sayak Chakraborty , who received ₹2.5 lakh.
Chakraborty came into the spotlight in January when he alleged that he was served beef instead of the mutton steak he ordered at the famous restaurant Olypub in Park Street, Kolkata. The incident soon escalated into a communal and political debate. Public opinion on social media was also divided regarding the incident. The concerned waiter had to spend some time in jail. Even after being released on bail, he has to appear in court hearings.
Another name on the list is Shamik Adhikary, known on social media as Nonsane. He was paid ₹13 lakh. In January, the official posted a video titled ‘Button’.
In this video, created against the backdrop of the RG Kar rape and murder case, he targeted the Trinamool Congress government and appealed to voters to think carefully before pressing the button. The video garnered significant views and was also shared by BJP leaders. In February, the official was arrested on charges of wrongfully detaining and raping a woman. Following his arrest, allegations of political vendetta against the ruling party at that time also surfaced.
According to the Election Commission's data,
the BJP spent ₹286.99 crore in the West Bengal elections. This accounted for 54 percent of the party's total expenditure in elections held across four states and one Union Territory.
The Telegraph Online sought responses from both, but none replied. The list of recipients also includes several other influencers. Following the release of the commission's data, the CPI(M), Trinamool Congress, and some sections of civil society have expressed their opposition.
According to sources, a political consulting firm contacted influencers on behalf of the BJP. The payment amounts were determined based on their influence and reach on social media. A BJP source stated that they were also given directives regarding the topics. According to the source, issues like border security were emphasized for election campaigning in Murshidabad, while the RG Kar case was a major topic in Kolkata.
Several experts in law and communication have stated that there is ambiguity in the regulations regarding such content. Social activist and rights advocate Suman Sengupta said that,
“Promotions done for money should be disclosed. According to him, without such disclosure, the audience can be misled.” Sengupta also shared a post criticizing the recipients of the payments.
A communication expert stated that,
“Not disclosing payments at least raises ethical questions. He explained that it is not necessary to directly appeal for votes in favor of a party; political messages can also be conveyed by attacking the opposition party.”
An influencer from Kolkata included in the list stated that he had presented the public's opinion. He questioned why he should disclose the payment in such a situation. According to him, people were frustrated with the Trinamool regime and he raised the concerns of those people. The ‘Button’ video did not directly appeal to vote for the BJP. The video urged voters to make informed choices and indicated that the situation regarding women's safety in Bengal is alarming.
Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh, CPI(M) leader Shatarup Ghosh, and several other opposition members criticized the influencers creating the content and the BJP. Trinamool's IT cell chief and close aide of Mamata Banerjee, Upasana Chaudhary, targeted Chakraborty by sharing an old video made in front of Olypub. In the caption of the post, she asked in Bengali,
“Did Sayak Babu gulp down ₹2.5 lakh?” In the video, Chaudhary questioned Chakraborty's identification with the restaurant known for serving beef while claiming to be a Sanatani. This question had also been raised by many during the controversy.
Bengal BJP's chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar defended the payments. He stated,
“Yes, we have paid influencers. So what? We will do it again.” He claimed that the money was not from the government but from the party's funds, and every rupee is accounted for. He asserted that the party used all available means for campaigning while adhering to all rules and formalities.
It is already common for political parties to pay influencers to promote their electoral campaigns. The central question raised in this case is whether audiences should be informed about the payments associated with any political content.