Congress opens war room in Trichy; to launch AI-generated video campaigns

TRICHY: Constituency allocation and candidates' list for the assembly election are yet to be finalised, but Congress has urged party functionaries and cadres in Trichy urban district unit to sacrifice personal and family events until polling day, April 23. Appointing in-charges for all 65 wards covering four assembly segments in Trichy city, the party has readied a war room in its district office to generate Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated videos for online campaigns, particularly to counter allegations spread by opposition parties."With just a month left for the polling, Congress functionaries were urged to set aside their personal and professional lives to work committedly for the campaign on behalf of parties in INDIA bloc. We will balance our campaigns equally between street and digital campaigns," L Rex, Congress's Trichy urban district unit president, told TOI. All wings of the party have been advised to nominate an in-charge for each of the 65 wards to coordinate campaigns in wards falling under Trichy West, Trichy East, Thiruverumbur, and Srirangam assembly segments. The urban unit has 1,876 booth-level agents. Rallying on the infrastructure projects opened by the state govt in the last five years, including the air-conditioned integrated bus terminus, the party has planned a digital campaign using AI tools to spread messages online about the benefits. The party has planned to take up hyperlocal subjects through AI characters, discussing political situations in the state, predominantly to counter the anti-incumbency campaign by AIADMK and BJP. With Congress demanding Trichy East seat, it is hopeful that DMK would cede the minority-dominant segment to it if TVK leader Vijay rules out contesting from the seat. If the actor-turned-politician contests in the segment, DMK will field its candidate, Congress sources said. "Already, our AI character Rakkamma is conducting online campaigns for TNCC. We will work on the same lines to take up hyperlocal subjects in Trichy to appeal to voters and prevent malicious campaigns targeting our alliance," A David, state general secretary, Congress IT wing, said.