PM adds prefix on Twitter, changes name to 'Chowkidar Narendra Modi'; other BJP leaders follow suit

New Delhi, Mar 17: Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday amplified 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday renamed his Twitter handle to "Chowkidar Narendra Modi". He also urged supporters to take the #MainBhiChowkidar pledge against corruption.

Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation.

But, I am not alone.

Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar.

Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar.

Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar

— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 16, 2019

Shortly after the PM, Amit Shah, Piyush Goyal JP Nadda, Amit Malviya and Tajinder Bagga also prefixed 'chowkidar' to their names on Twitter.

देश बदला, विश्वास बढा।
हर व्यक्ति में चौकीदार मिला।।#MainBhiChowkidar#ChowkidarPhirSe pic.twitter.com/Lr0wJzWSZX

— Chowkidar Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) March 17, 2019

As Chowkidars of our nation, we are committed to creating a clean economy by using cashless financial transactions.

The menace of corruption and black money has adversely affected us for decades. Time to eliminate these for a better future. #MainBhiChowkidar #ChowkidarPhirSe pic.twitter.com/y44vwyM4xs

— Chowkidar Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) March 17, 2019

जिसने बनाया स्वच्छता को संस्कार...वो है चौकीदार। #MainBhiChowkidar

कहो दिल से #ChowkidarPhirSe pic.twitter.com/jLqn6atvXR

— Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 17, 2019

Several BJP chief ministers, including Uttarakhand CM Trivdendra Singh Rawat and Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das, also changed their names on Twitter.

The campaign appeared to be a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has often used the phrase "chowkidar chor hai" (the watchman is a thief) as a taunt to the prime minister while referring to the controversial Rafale jet deal.

In order to boost the campaign, the prime minister's twitter handle began sending out automated "thank you" tweets to every Twitter handle that had used the #MainBhiChowkidar hashtag. While many Twitter users expressed joy at receiving what seemed like a personalised message from Narendra Modi, the automated messages also reached a host of parody accounts and accounts of people that are known to be critical of the prime minister or his party.