With the Assembly elections in West Bengal next year, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are taking their rivalry beyond rallies and into the digital arena.

After TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee launched ‘Ami Banglar Digital Joddha (I am Bengal’s Digital Warrior)’, aimed at recruiting ‘Content Creators, Social Media Managers, and Digital Amplifiers’, the BJP has rolled out a WhatsApp group formed by actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty.

Named ‘Mithun Yoddhas’, the group aims to connect directly with young BJP workers and supporters across constituencies and coordinate party activities on the ground.

According to party sources, Chakraborty himself proposed the formation of the group, which is meant to “bring the BJP forward in a more organised manner”. He has instructed that whenever party workers face unfair treatment or disruptions to party events, the ‘Mithun Yoddhas’ should immediately take to the streets — from protests to blockades — to respond and organise counter actions, sources said.

The group is expected to include at least 150 BJP workers, and supporters in each assembly constituency. Two personal phone numbers of Mithun Chakraborty have been shared among members: one for legal assistance and another for organisational communication.

A senior BJP leader said the strategy is aimed at engaging younger members through digital platforms. “It is very important to connect with the youth. Through this group, we will be able to reach the young generation of the party, which will help boost the organisation’s energy,” the leader said.

Earlier this month, the BJP had launched its state-specific digital outreach campaign to engage with the public ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls. A website, namoyavawarriors.com, allows people to register for the programme, while others can join by giving a missed call to a toll-free number, 7015900900.