Customised data dockets for each constituency, a first for Congress; promises to be game-changer

Data is a game-changer. In a first, the Congress is giving each of its candidates a data docket of all the details they need to know about their constituency. The Data Analytics department chaired by Praveen Chakravarty has sent this docket to each candidate contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

The docket begins with electoral information on the number of booths won by the Congress in both the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and in the Assembly elections held subsequently.

It moves on to the number of voters deleted in each district. For example, the docket given to the Belgaum candidate gives the number of voters deleted in each Assembly segment in Belgaum.

Under Arabhavi Assembly seat, which falls within Belgaum Parliamentary constituency, 17,663 voters have been deleted. In total, 1,43,495 people who voted in 2014 have now been deleted from the 2019 list.

The candidate is then given the details of the deleted voters and the supporters of the candidate are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that they enrol. The voter is then given a helpline number, which they can call to get themselves registered.

“Names of voters get deleted all the time. We compared both the 2014 and 2019 lists to find out the names of those who had voted then and now have been deleted by the Election Commission for no reason,” says Chakravarty.

In addition to the deleted voters, there is a list of missing voters. These are voters who probably have never voted or do not stay at the address or have somehow been missed.

“We have traced each household from which only one or no voter has been registered. Either they didn’t register, or the Election Commission didn’t reach their place. Basically, we analysed 25 crore households to find these missing voters,” highlights Chakravarty

The docket then has the details of first-time voters in a district. Additionally, it lists the number of Shakti App members in each Assembly constituency falling under the candidate’s area. The Shakti App is an internal app of the party which has connected over 65 lakh workers. The App has details of worker’s booth too.

Chakravarty’s team then recommends to the candidates the booths that they should focus on as that could be crucial in turning the 2019 Lok Sabha election for them.

This docket has been sent to all the candidates, including senior leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Digvijay Singh. According to sources in the party, this has come in handy for every candidate.

If the candidates were to take the docket seriously, it might be a game changer, believes Chakravarty.