Instagram, Gen Z, Ground Connect: How BRS Is Resetting Its Political Reach

Instagram, Gen Z and Ground Connect: How BRS Is Resetting Its Political Communication with BJP, Congress also catching up

With the next Telangana Assembly election around 800 days away, and the Congress government completing 1,000 days in office on September 1, the political battle is slowly moving to another space - the mobile phone.

Instagram reels, short videos, memes and quick political posts are becoming a regular part of political communication. The rise of platforms such as Jantar Mantar has shown political parties that the reel game can no longer be ignored.

The message for Telangana's political parties is clear-Instagram is no longer just another publicity platform. It is becoming an important part of the political battle, especially when it comes to reaching younger voters.

The BRS appears to have taken note. KT Rama Rao, or KTR, has built a strong social-media presence, particularly on Instagram and X.

His posts are often direct and conversational and are designed for the way people consume content on social media rather than through traditional political speeches or press conferences.

For BRS, KTR has become the main face of this digital approach. Issues around Hyderabad, technology, governance, development and politics are regularly presented through short videos, posts and reactions that can reach audiences far beyond a party meeting.

The numbers show the scale of that reach. KTR's Instagram account has around 3 million followers and more than 6,400 posts, while his X following is around 4.6 million.

The official BJP Telangana Instagram account has around 4 lakh followers, while Telangana Congress has around 1.6 lakh. BJP Telangana has more than 16,000 Instagram posts, while Congress has crossed 21,000.

The figures also show that the three parties are taking social media seriously, but in different ways.

KTR's presence is largely personality-driven, while BJP and Congress have a stronger organisation-led approach.

BRS, however, is not the only party adapting. Congress, which is in power, has been trying to strengthen its social-media network in Telangana, including through coordinator meetings and digital campaigns.

The party also has the visibility of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, whose political communication is increasingly present across digital platforms.

The BJP has a more structured digital setup, with a dedicated IT and social media cell in Telangana. The party has also been holding social-media workshops and building digital teams at the organisational level.

Its national communication strategy has also increasingly moved towards reels, short videos and more informal content aimed at younger audiences.

The size of the young electorate makes this shift important, as the Election Commission data shows that 22.97% of Telangana's electorate was aged 18-29 in 2024, while more than 8.7 lakh voters were aged 18-19 and the size of the young electorate itself explains why parties are looking closely at Instagram and other mobile-first platforms.

For the parties, the challenge now goes beyond simply putting out more reels. KTR has a large personal digital following, the BJP has a strong organisational network and Congress has the advantage of being in government.

Telangana also has high smartphone and internet use, particularly in Hyderabad and other urban centres, making mobile screens an important route for political communication, and with the next Assembly election approaching, all the political parties are now working hard to up their social media game and remain Gen Z-worthy so that they can capture the power.