'BJP Pinged 144 Million Net Users in Latest Election'

"The youths are aware. They form their own opinion. So, they use their own judgement in deciding whom to vote for. I won't be surprised if young voters also now influence their parents and grand-parents. But this must is a given: They vote as they want."

Goenka said contrary to popular belief that the IT cell was started in the run-up to the latest national elections, it has been functioning since April 2006, albeit at a smaller level, and gained momentum in 2008, when it was used in Maharashtra.

"This time around, it went pan-India. Narendra Modi gave it a lot of intensity. He said we must focus on nine 'I's -- issues, ideology, inter-personal communication, internet, intensity, introspection, industry, integration with the party and ideating."

Goenka said quite a few innovative concepts, practiced elsewhere, but alien to politics in India were adopted by the IT Cell, such as a bloggers' meet, video conferencing with voters across cities and interactive call centres for voter registration.

"We also conducted two round-table sessions, this was earlier, with the chief executives of $2-billion-plus companies, to sensitize the political leadership about the kind of challenges that are faced by the industry. This was again a hit."