New Delhi: Social media platforms have emerged as a new political battleground amid the protests over the NEET paper leak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also went live on his Instagram account to address key issues related to the paper leak.
The rapid spread of videos and reels on Instagram during the recent protests has highlighted that the digital world is the fastest way to reach young people.
This is why political leaders have increasingly stepped into the digital space, making an online presence a key part of their electoral strategy. Whether from the ruling party or the opposition, leaders across the political spectrum have embraced the digital era. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also urged his Cabinet ministers to connect with young people through social media.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tops the list with 102 million followers on Instagram.
He is followed by:
- Amit Shah – 32.2 million followers
- Nitin Gadkari – 6.6 million followers
- Shivraj Singh Chouhan – 4.8 million followers
- S. Jaishankar – 3.4 million followers
- Rajnath Singh – 2.5 million followers
- Nirmala Sitharaman – 1.7 million followers
- Piyush Goyal – 1.7 million followers
- Kiren Rijiju – 1.6 million followers
- Ashwini Vaishnaw – 1.3 million followers
- Jyotiraditya Scindia – 1 million followers
Who dominates Instagram in the Opposition?
Among Opposition leaders, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has the highest Instagram following. He tops the list with 18.7 million followers.
He is followed by:
- Rahul Gandhi – 14.7 million followers
- Asaduddin Owaisi – 12.5 million followers
- Arvind Kejriwal – 4 million followers
- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – 4 million followers
- M.K. Stalin – 2.3 million followers
- Shashi Tharoor – 2.2 million followers
- Akhilesh Yadav – 1.8 million followers
- Bhagwant Singh Mann – 1.8 million followers
- Tejashwi Yadav – 1.6 million followers
- Kanhaiya Kumar – 1.4 million followers
- Supriya Sule – 1.1 million followers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Social Media Following
- Instagram: 102 million
- Facebook: 60 million
- X: 107 million
- LinkedIn: 5.5 million
- YouTube: 31.1 million
- WhatsApp Channel: 15.3 million
Which Chief Ministers Have the Largest Social Media Following?
The chief ministers with the highest social media following are:
- Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh): 17.2 million followers
- Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra): 2.8 million followers
- Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam): 2.7 million followers
- Dr. Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh): 2 million followers
- Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand): 1.6 million followers