BJP Steps Up Meme War Against Congress

• Deepak Mhaskey has taken over as BJP social media convener.
• State BJP handles are coordinating posts, memes and satirical content on X.
• The campaign targets Congress and Rahul Gandhi on issues including “Dimagi Naxal” and “Smash the Patriarchy”.
• BJP sources say the strategy is an evolution of an established social media system, not a change in its core approach.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th Aug: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its social media campaign, with memes, satire and humorous posts increasingly being used to push the party’s messaging and target the Congress.

The renewed campaign has gained visibility following the appointment of Deepak Mhaskey as the BJP’s social media convener, replacing Amit Malviya, who had led the party’s social media operations for more than 11 years.

Preeti Gandhi, Shivanand Dwivedi, Alok Bhatt and Arun Yadav have also joined the team as co-conveners.

Several BJP state-unit accounts on X have been actively quoting, tagging and reposting one another as part of the campaign. Clips from Bollywood and Hollywood films have also been used in posts targeting the Congress and its leaders.

The party’s regional units have taken an active role in the social media push, with several handles promoting memes and satirical content.

According to BJP sources, the campaign gained momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term “Dimagi Naxals” in his August 15 address. The Kerala Congress subsequently attacked the BJP, following which the party decided to respond more aggressively to Congress criticism.

The state units began reacting to and cross-sharing each other’s posts, eventually developing into what party sources described as an organic campaign.

The BJP is also using memes to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “Smash the Patriarchy” messaging, accusing him of what the party describes as “double standards”.

BJP sources have rejected suggestions that the social media strategy has fundamentally changed with the leadership transition.

They said the party’s core ideological and organisational approach remains unchanged, while methods can evolve according to political circumstances.

The sources also said the social media system has developed over more than a decade and has become institutionalised, arguing that it reflects the party’s collective thinking rather than any individual leader.

The BJP has traditionally focused strongly on Instagram and other social media platforms. The party is now also seeking to make greater use of X, which it views as an important platform for political discourse.

A BJP leader said the party adapts its social media strategy according to the situation while maintaining established guidelines.

The leader said the party would attack political opponents through humour and satire but would avoid what was described as “below-the-belt” or indecent attacks.

The latest meme-driven campaign has brought renewed attention to the BJP’s digital strategy and the role of humour and satire in political communication.