NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that influencers were being offered Rs 25,000 to attend an upcoming Rahul Gandhi event in Pune and post promotional content on social media.Sharing a video on X, the BJP claimed that the Congress leader’s public outreach relied on paid attendance and influencer promotion. The party wrote, “Even public support has to be bought for Rahul Gandhi. Look at this video. Influencers are being offered Rs 25,000 just to attend his Pune event.”The BJP further alleged that attendees were expected to create and upload content from the event. In its post, the party said, “Rahul Gandhi’s leadership is so weak that even event attendance needs to be paid for. Yet, he questions EVMs whenever he loses. Watch his PR tactics get exposed on camera.”The BJP also alleged that the attendees were expected to create and upload content from the event.In the video, a person identifying himself as “Shantanu” is heard explaining the arrangement to a prospective attendee. According to the conversation, the attendee would receive payment after the event and would be required to post videos from their personal social media account.“Payment will be after the event, one or two days after the event. And I will make the payment, I will ask your account details or UPI ID and I will make the payment,” the caller says.When asked whether an official email would be sent, the caller replies, “No, no, no official email, you directly reach at the venue, I will share the location and there our person will contact with you.”The caller further explains the expected content creation, saying, “No, no, not just attend, you have to highlight the event like make two or three videos.”“One Rahul Gandhi ji will be speaking to record some part from there and some part from crowd. And you can make some opinion video like talking to some people, how students especially, there are girl students invited. So you can talk to them, how they are feeling about the event, Rahul Gandhi ji and all,” he adds.The caller also states that the videos should be posted soon after the event. “No, no deadline, like the event will be 22nd, so maybe by night or by morning 23rd you post all videos, whatever you have made.”The BJP described the video as evidence of what it called Rahul Gandhi’s “PR tactics” and questioned the authenticity of support at the event.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday announced that the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event will be held exclusively for girls in Pune on August 22. He said the event would bring together young students who participated in protests at Jantar Mantar demanding accountability from the government.
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(With Agency Inputs)