DEFYING predictions of electoral losses and a ‘hung’ parliament, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has increased its support in several regions, a result the party’s General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo attributed to a unifying, positive campaign message and deep grassroots mobilisation.

Dr. Jagdeo during a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, highlighted the massive erosion of support that longstanding People’s National Congress (PNC), which was founded by Former President Forbes Burnham, enjoyed.

He highlighted that instead of focusing on a political strategy to maintain its base, the PNC-led APNU was stifled by its hatred for the PPP/C.

This occurred while the political outfit, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) led by U.S.-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed was focused on misleading young people and social media optics, Dr. Jagdeo contended.

This is contrary to the PPP/C’s campaign strategy, which was powered by thousands of activists and volunteers who were not only going door-to-door speaking to the people but also handling phone calls.

He said: “We’re the only party that was not engaged in divisive rhetoric…People like the fact that we outlined a plan to work for all Guyana, that we had a clear, defined, sustainable plan. They like the fact that we had capable leadership, they know from tomorrow or from today we’re working back that they can trust capable leadership.”

He also highlighted how the party overcame a wave of online disinformation targetting young voters by focusing heavily on youth engagement both on the ground and through public rallies.

The PPP/C tackled the online media influence on young voters by the WIN political party as Dr. Jagdeo said that the PPP/C debunked the “deadly cocktail of lies” and showed young people the true nature of the party.

Going forward, he said the party will continue to attempt to get the young person to focus on their own lives and be able to develop themselves.

“So if you educate the young voter, if you get them caught up in a virtuous cycle now of education, good paying job, getting a house lot, building a home, starting a family, getting buying a vehicle, you know, recreation in their communities, good citizen through the civic education, that is they would have getting the churches and the temples and the mosque to work with them creating a new value system, then our young people could have productive lives,” he said.

He contrasted the PPP/C’s approach with what he accused opposition forces of offering: short-term financial handouts and divisive rhetoric.