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Modi and BJP Adopt Selfie-Style Reels to Court Gen‑Z Voters

The move uses rough, short videos to answer large youth protests and seek support from a vast younger electorate ahead of 2029

A woman walks past a hoarding depicting a student and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a street in Mumbai, India, August 5, 2026. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
A hoarding depicting a student and an army soldier is displayed on a street in Mumbai, India, August 5, 2026. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
A commuter rides a scooter past a hoarding depicting a student and a police officer along a pavement in Mumbai, India, August 5, 2026. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses the press upon his arrival to attend the first day of the monsoon session of parliament in New Delhi, India, July 20, 2026. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain

Overview

  • Large Gen‑Z protests over a leaked national exam paper triggered mass street demonstrations and led to the education minister's resignation, exposing deep anger about jobs and schooling.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has posted vertically shot, selfie-style Instagram clips and urged ministers to make short, lightly edited videos that feel raw and spontaneous.
  • Government departments including the foreign ministry have been directed to join youth platforms and the RSS is planning in-person student outreach in cities such as Mumbai.
  • Analysts say Instagram-style content rewards perceived authenticity and that staged political reels risk being trolled or dismissed if they feel scripted.
  • The strategy aims at a generational prize roughly the size of hundreds of millions of voters by 2029 and may matter more to parents and established supporters than to the protesting young themselves.