Indian media has gone on an overdrive from the time that the Election Commission announced the dates of the Gujarat elections. It is not unexpected with Gujarat being Prime Minister Modi’s home state and his much touted Gujarat model of development. Alt News has analyzed the hashtags promoted by TV channels to build social media engagement. Although channels like NDTV, India Today and CNNNews18 selected neutral hashtags like #GujaratElection2017, #BattleForGujarat, #ElectionsWithNews18 and #AssemblyElections2017, others like RepublicTV and Times Now picked hashtags that were strongly opinionated. They used these hashtags to campaign and shape public opinion for or against the political parties in the fray. Read on to see the blatant partisan position taken in the attempt to influence popular opinion in favor of the ruling party. Other than an occasional neutral hashtag like #BattleForGujarat or #GujaratBattleground, the hashtags used by RepublicTV and Times Now betrayed a clear agenda. In a war for the louder and the more outrageous hashtag, any debate on issues affecting the common people took a backseat. Here are some of the common themes that emerged in the review of the hashtags: Attack Congress Congress remained a constant target of attack by hashtags of both RepublicTV and Times Now. Hashtags like #CongNeechPolitics accused it of playing politics whereas those like #CongSlamsIndiaRise and #CongTerrorPhoto attempted to portray it as anti-development and anti-national. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an election rally in response to the Congress party that he had sold tea but not the nation, Times Now parroted the same with the hashtag #UPANeDeshBecha UP NEXT: #UPANeDeshBecha BIG TWIST | Never before revealed twist. Prime Minister vindicated. Documents with TIMES NOW. Join @navikakumar on @thenewshour pic.twitter.com/8qykeSZome — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 27, 2017 The first tweet of Republic TV on the hashtag #CongNeechPolitics asked the question whether Rahul Gandhi will act against Mani Shankar Aiyar for ‘Neech remark’. Rahul Gandhi’s action however did not deter the channel from continuing to use the hashtag. What followed was over 150 tweets by Republic using this hashtag including a list of which Congress leader insulted Narendra Modi and when. The channel called it a “direct classist attack on PM Modi by a superannuated member of the Lutyens Circuit” and announced that “The battle has now become between the rich elite and those they call ‘Neech’’. #CongNeechPolitics | After Chaiwala attack in 2014 comes Aiyar’s ‘Neech’ attack in 2017. Tell us what you think, fire in your views using the hashtag and join the conversation https://t.co/lpnVZxoMbs pic.twitter.com/dqHKTZn7n2 — Republic (@republic) December 7, 2017 Not to be left behind, Times Now called it #RahulNeechPolitics with an equal number of tweets Times Now also focused on the “self-goals” of Congress. It was #CongChaiSelfgoal after the Youth Congress tweet and #RaGaSomnathSelfGoal, after Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Somnath Temple. Disposal of Teesta Setalvad’s plea for reasons known to Times Now became a #CongTeestaSelfgoal. Needless to say, when it came to BJP, there were no self-goals. The hashtag #CongIgnoredPatel built on the popular right-wing narrative and accused Congress of ignoring Patel #CongIgnoredPatel | Which side of The Debate are you on? Tweet using the hashtag & join Arnab on The Debate. https://t.co/lpnVZxoMbs pic.twitter.com/PRpf5LCs8Y — Republic (@republic) October 31, 2017 Finally when all else fails, bring in Robert Vadra. Republic TV followed this mantra on the last day before the second phase of the polls with #VadraEntersGujaratPolls. “In what capacity was Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law meeting Hardik Patel?” Asked Republic TV in what it called an “agenda setting newsbreak a day before Gujarat votes.” Portray Congress as anti-India Rahul Gandhi’s jibe on Gujarat model and ease of doing business ratings was reported by Republic TV with the hashtag #CongSlamsIndiaRise.