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A group of students from IIT Bombay is bringing its technology skills to the electoral battlefield.
The students are in the process of developing data analytics tools and interactive apps for Facebook, iOS and the Android platform for the Aam Aadmi Party.
These applications are targeted at the young, social media and tech-savvy supporters in order to boost donations to the party and attract volunteers.
Data analytics will help the party identify localities with high voting participation and enable targeted campaigning.
Interactive appsThe interactive mobile platform apps will help the party make information available on all AAP candidates in Mumbai, enable users to make donations, join the volunteer programme or seek additional information on the party. “These apps, once developed, will also enable users to access new articles and the latest press releases on AAP,” said 25-year-old IIT-B alumni and AAP member Siddharth Das.
Data mining“We are also working on a database and data mining system that will help compare our candidates with others using the 2009 election data affidavit available for most candidates,” added Pritesh Mittal, an energy engineering student. “It contains information on criminal cases, achievements, past promises and present ground realties.”
Apart from being a social worker and an AAP member, Mittal has also bagged an offer from a high-profile investment bank. Shantanu Mandal, a 21-year-old electrical engineering student, said the Facebook app would also help fellow supporters connect and discuss political issues.
Currently, a platform is being developed to support AAP’s North-West Mumbai candidate Mayank Gandhi. This will subsequently be extended to Maharashtra and the rest of the country.
Aiming to serveApart from innovative work, these IITians are keen to contribute to AAP’s cause in other areas too.
“One day we could be simply doing photocopying work in the AAP office and on another we could be seated on the party’s national co-ordination committee devising our electoral strategy,” said Mittal. “But more than the nature of work it’s the party’s principles and ideals that drive us to keep learning and build our skills.”
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