New Delhi:
At a time when politics and social media are more linked than ever before, the BJP has entrusted a little-known party leader from Chhattisgarh to lead its digital machinery.
Deepak Mhaskey, who has succeeded Amit Malviya as the head of the BJP IT Cell, has his priorities cut out.
Speaking to NDTV soon after his elevation, Mhaskey said that Instagram is where his main focus is going to be.
The recent student protests have told the political class that the youth of the country are hooked to Instagram and no party can ignore the platform if it wishes to connect with young voters.
“Instagram will be our priority. Young people are mostly on Insta, so we will focus on disseminating information on government policies more via reels. We will work on specific content targeting young people on Instagram,” Mhaskey told NDTV.
After the recent protests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the young population directly via late-night reels, informing the youth about his government’s actions.
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Mhaskey said that he will sit with his team soon and chalk out a specific strategy for the party’s outreach on Instagram.
“We are engaging with Gen Z. Will ensure good and positive content reaches Gen Z. Will make a specific strategy focused on Gen Z outreach,” he said.
The new IT Cell chief stated that busting “foreign propaganda” will also be a major focus.
“Countering propaganda by foreign accounts with facts will be our main priority,” he told NDTV, adding that reporting accounts spreading fake narratives and information will be high on the agenda.
“Will make sure that those spreading fake news and anti-India narratives are reported according to Indian IT laws,” Mhaskey said.
Mhaskey is succeeding Amit Malviya, who led the BJP’s digital charge for over a decade and took the party’s social media presence to almost unbeatable heights.
Refusing to accept the term “replacement”, Mhaske insisted that he has not replaced Malviya and will keep referring to his policies and playbook in his work.
“In the BJP we don’t replace each other. The party assigns us responsibilities and we work. Amit Malviya did a great job and now I will carry it forward,” he said.
While Malviya was someone who regularly engaged in online political warfare, Mhaskey’s reputation with the BJP rests on his voter analysis and data work. He is described by BJP leaders as someone who has built his reputation not on television screens or on social media platforms, but in the trenches of data analytics and campaign management.
Mhaskey also added that he will work on a state-specific approach for social media outreach.
“Every state has its own needs, its own character. The aim is to disseminate good content and propagate government policies via social media to the people,” he said.
