In the dynamic landscape of Indian politics, social media influencers are emerging as the new election campaigners. One such influencer, Chandni Bhagat, who has been creating devotional videos on Instagram for the past three years, is now blending politics with her daily religious content.
Bhagat represents a growing army of social media influencers who are being mobilized by political parties in the lead-up to elections. Their objective is to appeal to a young, digitally-savvy Indian audience. Last year, Bhagat, who boasts over 200,000 Instagram followers, was among more than a hundred content creators in Indore, a central Indian city, invited to interact with workers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“I strive to discuss topics that will benefit my audience,” Bhagat stated. Since her meeting with the BJP, her Instagram feed, typically filled with images of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva, has featured at least five posts endorsing the BJP. These include a post supporting the party’s regional women’s health scheme and a cheerful selfie with a former BJP minister.
India, with over 800 million internet users and the world’s highest usage of Instagram and YouTube, presents a fertile ground for political parties to engage top influencers to champion their causes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP has, since last year, connected with several hundred social media influencers, each with a significant presence on either Instagram or YouTube.
These influencers, some with millions of followers and others with a few thousand, are offered opportunities for ministerial interviews, bypassing the often critical mainstream media. They also get chances for photo ops and themed posts that disseminate Modi’s message. The campaign peaks during the general elections in April and May, with influencers from various niches, including travel, food, religion, and tech, being utilized for their extensive reach.
“Last year, we organized influencer meets across segments where we informed them about the party’s policies, their implementation, and the government’s achievements over nine years. We requested them to recreate and reshare their own experiences,” said Devang Dave, a member of the BJP’s election team. He added, “It lends a lot more credibility if it comes as a third-party voice.”
However, the BJP is not alone in this strategy. Vaibhav Walia, who manages social media communications for the main opposition Indian National Congress party, confirmed that his party actively courts influencers to leverage their popularity. This trend underscores the evolving role of social media influencers in shaping political discourse and influencing voter behavior in India’s vibrant democracy.
