Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a significant step in an attempt to connect with the country's youth. He has created a presence on Instagram, where he is posting casual, often humorous, content in an effort to appeal to the platform's younger users.
Modi's Social Media Shift
The 75-year-old leader, known for his strongman image, has adopted a more relaxed style on Instagram. His timeline now features "candid" content, including a get-ready-with-me reel and several selfie-style addresses to young people, whom he calls "friends." Modi has more than 106 million followers on the platform, making him one of the most-followed political leaders on Instagram.
The BJP's Social Media Strategy
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Modi, has traditionally relied on scripted speeches, formal broadcasts, and carefully choreographed appearances to reach its audience. However, the party's social media strategy has been called into question after its inability to contain the narrative surrounding the recent youth protests in India. The protests, led by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), spread through memes, livestreams, and Instagram reels before evolving into a force strong enough to make a federal minister resign.
Gen Z and the BJP's Challenges
Young Indians consume content and politics differently, and the BJP's attempts to reach them on platforms such as Instagram have been met with skepticism. Many young users have mocked Modi's first selfie-video reel, which was seen as a long pause after he said, "friends." Versions of it soon trended online, with users adding edits and jokes and mocking the lighting and camera angles in his video. The BJP's social media pages have also started using memes, slang, and pop-culture references to reach younger audiences, but many of these attempts have been seen as "comic content" rather than taken as political messaging or outreach.
The BJP's Response to Criticism
The BJP seems to be aware that its attempts to reach younger audiences were not landing as intended. During the protests, Modi reportedly asked his cabinet ministers to increase their social media engagement and reach out to the youth. On Wednesday, federal ministers were given a "report card" on their social media performance and told to step up their presence across platforms. The party has also replaced its social media chief, Amit Malviya, who had held the post since 2015.
Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi's Approach
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also attempted to connect with younger audiences on Instagram. He has posted selfie-style videos and candid pictures, and has even held an Instagram Ask Me Anything session with playful responses. However, young users say that the most important thing for them is that leaders listen to their concerns instead of chasing trends.
The Challenges of Social Media Engagement
Getting attention on Instagram is one thing, but controlling the conversation there is another. Joyojeet Pal, who teaches the political use of social media at the University of Michigan, says that the BJP has long relied on a network of supporters on X and WhatsApp to amplify its messages and shape the narrative – but that does not work on Instagram. The platform tends to push content that generates more engagement, such as longer watch times, replays, shares, and comments. It is not too difficult to find a reel which has 10 million views posted from an account that has 200 followers, while some posted by people with a huge base might do only marginally well.
Source: Joy Online
