In a move signalling the embrace of technology in political campaigning, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) in West Bengal has introduced an Artificial Intelligence (AI) anchor named Samata ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Bengal unit of CPI(M) unveiled Samata through a video on the social media platform X.
Samata, speaking in Bengali, extended warm greetings to the people of Bengal for Holi and made a significant announcement, stating, “Our gift for this year’s festival of colours is JNU in Lal Gulal.”
Party sources revealed to India Today that Samata will play a pivotal role in the party’s election campaigns.
Srijan Bhattacharya, a Left candidate from Jadavpur, expressed enthusiasm about utilising the AI anchor for election campaigns, emphasising the party’s openness to innovation. “We are going to use this AI anchor for election campaigns as we are always up for something new which is not harmful,” Bhattacharya stated.
However, the move has not been without criticism. Tathagata Roy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized the CPI(M)’s adoption of technology, highlighting the irony of the party’s stance, given its initial opposition to computer education in the 1980s.
In response to Roy’s criticism, Bhattacharya clarified the party’s position, stating, “CPI(M) was never against the implementation of computers. But, the way it was supposed to be implemented could have led to mass joblessness, which CPI(M) did not want. It does not matter what Tathagata Roy thinks.”
With the Lok Sabha polls looming, CPI(M) has announced 21 candidates for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has earlier announced that the Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases in the state, with voting scheduled from April 19 to June 1.
The party’s candidate list reflects a mix of seasoned veterans such as Md Samil and Sujan Chakraborty, along with emerging young leaders like Srijan Bhattacharya, Sayan Banerjee, and Deepshita Dhar. As the political landscape evolves, the introduction of AI technology in election campaigning marks a significant development for West Bengal’s political arena.
