Thread by @SaketGokhale

Shocking details:

Election Commission of India literally hired the BJP IT Cell for handling their social media in Maharashtra in the run-up to the 2019 State Assembly Elections.

Thread 👇

Browsing through the old social media adverts of the Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra, something very strange stood out. The Chief Electoral Officer reports to the ECI.

In each of the ads, the address seemed to be the same:

"202 Pressman House, Vile Parle, Mumbai"

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I decided to check who the address belongs to. It's that of an advertising company called Signpost India which was a govt-empaneled agency under Fadnavis BJP govt.

But wait - that's not half the story

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The address 202 Pressman House was also used by a digital agency called "Social Central".

This agency is owned by Devang Dave who is the national convener of IT & social media for BJP's Youth Wing @BJYM.

Guess who shows up on his client list on his website? (see images)

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Devang Dave is also the founder of websites and pages like "The Fearless Indian", "I Support Narendra Modi" etc. His agency lists the BJP (naturally) as a client along with other govt. entities.

The above pages are full of h@teful political content of BJP IT Cell.

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It is beyond SHOCKING that the Election Commission chose a BJP IT cell guy & his agency to handle their social media for Maharashtra elections.

ECI is supposed to be monitoring social media of parties during election.

Here, they *literally* worked with the ruling party

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Why was the social media of the Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra, being handled by a member of the BJP IT Cell?

Is this conduct of @ECISVEEP in line with "independence" and "neutrality"?

Is the BJP's takeover of institutions is so open now?

ECI MUST ANSWER!

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cc: @Pawankhera, @rohanrgupta, @sachin_inc - pls do check out this thread.