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Tackling media, the Congress way

Gargi Parsai

Spokespersons attend programme meant to ensure better “marketing” of party

Meeting to train spokespersons in economic, political matters
Delegates will interact with several Union Ministers, including Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: How to tackle media questions on price rise, the India-U.S. nuclear deal, the Sethusamudram project and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act were some of the concerns expressed by the 100-odd Congress spokespersons attending a two-day training and orientation programme here on Saturday. The programme organised by the AICC’s Media Committee is meant to ensure better “marketing” of the party and to make the spokespersons “media savvy” ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

The closed-door proceedings were videotaped and will be scrutinised in the Committee on Future Challenges that has Rahul Gandhi as a member, sources said.

Even before Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia finished talking about “UPA government and inclusive economic growth” he was bombarded with questions: “Why is there an increase in the prices of essential commodities when the economy is growing at nine per cent? Why are the prices of vegetables and foodgrains rising when the economy is doing so well?”

Jyotiraditya Scindia, who defended the nuclear deal, answered several questions from delegates of Left-ruled States of West Bengal and Kerala on how to put across their point of view effectively in their States when the government was depending upon the Left support at the Centre.

Likewise, a lot of delegates said regional issues were different from central issues, but their presence had made them aware of several facets of dealing with the media.

AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi gave a talk on Sethusamudram and the BJP’s “doublespeak” on internal security and terrorism. He also gave his 10-point mantra on how to deal with the media.

“We are being taught about substance, style and delivery mechanism — how to make eye contact, how to dress and the body language,” a delegate from Haryana said.

Management guru Ujjwal K.Chowdhury told The Hindu that his emphasis would be on “Convergence Media and Its Impact in Political Communication.”

“In this day and age of modern technology the spokespersons should be prepared to deal with print, electronic and internet. They must customise and converge their content to be comfortable with all media. Being media savvy would be a definite asset.”

The meeting is aimed at training the party spokespersons on matters of economic, political and foreign policy. The last time such an exercise was held was in 2004.

Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil , Jaipal Reddy, Kapil Sibal, Shakeel Ahmed, and Anand Sharma as well as party leaders including Janardhan Dwivedi, Digvijay Singh, M. Veerappa Moily, Jayanti Natarajan and Salman Khurshid will interact with the spokespersons on issues concerning government, organisation and the media.

On Sunday management guru Prakash Shesh will give tips on “how to handle sustained probing” and on the “art of listening.” And finally, the spokespersons will get a dose on “How to Manage Time, Stress and Anger.”

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