Sonia reconstitutes Congress data analytics cell

New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi has reconstituted the the party's data analytics cell under Wharton-educated investment banker Praveen Chakravarty who had faced immense criticism for the drubbing in the Lok Sabha election after the inputs provided by the department proved useless.

In an official order, party General Secretary (Organisation) K. C. Venugopal said, "Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has approved the proposal to reorganise the All India Congress Committee Data Analytics as AICC Technology and Data Cell within the organisation. Praveen Chakravarty will be the chairman of the cell."

Venugopal said that the AICC Technology and Data Cell will be responsible for various technology initiatives and projects in the party including the digital membership process and development of appropriate system.

He said that the data cell will also be responsible for maintaining and providing constituency-wise data analysis and maintaining and providing the central data base (CDB) of party members, workers, influencers and the office bearers at all levels in the party including the state PCCs and AICC departments and cells.

He further said that the data cell will also develop and maintain suitable communication system to communicate regularly with the party workers and the office bearers as required.

The Congress leader also said that all IT departments or cells in the state PCCs shall be organised as technology and data cells of the PCC under the guidance and support from the AICC Technology and Data Cell.

Chakravarty, who earlier headed the AICC Data Analytics Cell of the party, before the elections had claimed that the party will win around 140 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

The schemes like NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) was the brainchild of the data team.

The data team headed by Chakravarty was also responsible for getting feedback through the Shakti app, which according to party leaders, had played a key role in the selection of Congress candidates in several constituencies.

According to Congress leaders, the data analytics team had told Rahul Gandhi that the Congress was gaining traction on the ground, and that his line of campaigning like "Chowkidar chor hai", and highlighting corruption in Rafale deal was working.

However, the reality turned out to be starkly different, as Congress managed to win a mere eight seats more than its all-time low of 44 in 2014.

The party drew a blank in 17 states of the country, another fact that it had not foreseen.

A senior party leader wishing not to be named said that the task of Chakravarty's team was to read the mood of the nation during elections.

"But the department soon became a chamber to repeat things liked by then party President Rahul Gandhi.

He said there were several other flaws in the research data provided by the team to the party.