Chandigarh: We know what he eats, where and when he sleeps, who he meets and what he says, all over a 24×7 cycle of Facebook Live feeds.
Meet Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, the Congress candidate for Punjab’s Bathinda Lok Sabha seat who is giving voters the “TMI” — or “too much information” — feeling with his feverish social activity.
A former national youth president of the Congress, Warring, 41, is the sitting MLA from Gidderbaha. He is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the high-stakes Bathinda seat against incumbent MP and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur, the daughter-in-law of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal.
He relays almost all his activities through the day — waking up, having his morning tea, engaging with voters, his dinner — no matter how mundane, to his 5.35 lakh followers through Facebook Live.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring यांनी वर पोस्ट केले रविवार, २१ एप्रिल, २०१९
When he visited the native village of the Badals recently, he went live as he started dinner with the local family hosting him.
Also read: In images, laughter & games at Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s lunch for parliamentarians
His followers then watched as he chatted with the family, asking them how his speeches should be, and engaged with the children and women. He was seated on the floor for the meal, which was two rotis and a bowl of dal.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring यांनी वर पोस्ट केले गुरुवार, २५ एप्रिल, २०१९
Most of his speeches and public gatherings are telecast live as well. Some of these meetings spill over beyond midnight, but Warring is not tired. He goes live once again, just before he is ready to sleep.
Fighting mosquitoes while lying on uncomfortable cots, Warring gives his followers, whom he addresses as “doston (friends)”, his last message of the day. “Doston, I wish you well. See you tomorrow,” he says as he shuts the light of his mobile off.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring यांनी वर पोस्ट केले बुधवार, २४ एप्रिल, २०१९
Talking to ThePrint, Warring said he handled his social media himself.
“Badals have hired 200 people to counter my social media campaign,” he said. “And I am handling it myself. I have asked my followers to spread the message far and wide.”
Discovered ‘candid’ social media in 2016
Warring’s fixation with social media, and public outreach through “candid” selfie videos, is not new. He discovered the potential of social media in September 2016, when the Congress was in opposition in Punjab.
He and 26 other Congress legislators virtually laid siege to the assembly, refusing to leave the premises, protesting against the Speaker’s refusal to allow a debate on a no-confidence motion moved against the Akali-BJP government.
Warring masterminded the unique protest, which saw the Congress MLAs spend two days inside the building, with their relatives arriving to deliver clothes, medicines etc.
The media was banned from entering the assembly and Warring took to social media and relayed live what was happening inside the hall. Starting with the MLAs brushing their teeth in the morning, to eating their meals in the canteen, sleeping on the floor of the assembly hall, raising slogans, and singing protest songs, Warring made sure that everything that was happening inside could be seen by his followers. His assembly videos were a hit.
When the Congress replaced Warring as the national youth president in May last year, he was said to be expecting a cabinet berth in the Captain Amarinder Singh government. But his claim was ignored. A visibly upset warring took to social media again, trying to put up a brave face but breaking into tears.
Also read: Is Capt Amarinder Singh showing Congress the way on handling national security issues?
Some trouble on social media too
For all the videos he beams live, it is one not made by him that has landed him in trouble: A video that went viral last week shows Warring purportedly trying to bribe an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker to join the Congress.
Social worker Tinku Punjab of Budhladha is seen saying in the video that Warring should take back the Rs 50,000 given to him, but the latter forces him to keep the money and rushes out of his residence.
In the wake of the video, three opposition parties — the SAD, the AAP and the Punjab Ekta Party of Sukhpal Singh Khaira, the former leader of the opposition in the assembly — have approached the chief election commissioner, demanding the cancellation of Warring’s nomination.
https://www.facebook.com/punjabiyatzindabaad/videos/vb.880368945442570/2596080883739933/?type=2&theater
The Election Commission has ordered a probe into the allegation.
Bathinda is one of 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, all of which vote in the seventh phase of the election, on 19 May.
Also read: Congress can’t seem to find anyone to take on Harsimrat Badal in Lok Sabha polls