Modi, BJP Recast Instagram Push for 106 Million Followers After Youth Protests

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 21

Weeks after youth protests rattled the government, Narendra Modi's Instagram shifted from polished posts to selfie-style reels, candid videos and Gen Z slang aimed at younger voters.
The change followed protests led by the satirical Cockroach Janta Party, which spread through memes, livestreams and reels before building enough pressure to force Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign.
106 million followers have not guaranteed message control: Modi's first protest-era reel drew more than 400 million views but was widely remixed with sarcasm, while BJP meme-heavy posts were mocked as "cringe."
BJP has since pushed ministers to raise their social-media output and replaced longtime social-media chief Amit Malviya, reflecting concern that its WhatsApp-and-X playbook is weaker on Instagram's engagement-driven feed.
More than 60% of Indians are under 35, and Gen Z is expected to be a major voting bloc by 2029, though analysts say BJP's election machine still matters more than winning Instagram's narrative.