In a major organisational reshuffle, the BJP on Monday removed Amit Malviya as head of the party's Information and Technology and Social Media Department, bringing to a close his 11-year run at the helm of the party's digital communication machinery.
In his place, the BJP appointed Chhattisgarh leader Deepak Mhaskey as the new convenor of its Social Media Department. Alongside him, the party named Priti Gandhi, Shivanand Dwivedi, Alok Bhatt and Arun Yadav as social media co-convenors.
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Who Is Deepak Mhaskey?
Mhaskey has long been active in organisational and media roles within the Chhattisgarh BJP and has also served as a national spokesperson for the party.
He was recently appointed chairman of the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation (CGMSC). His elevation to a national-level organisational role is being viewed as a significant responsibility for a leader from Chhattisgarh, and something of a boost for the state unit more broadly.
Malviya's Farewell Message
Reacting to the reshuffle, Malviya congratulated the newly appointed office-bearers, going out of his way to welcome Mhaskey as his successor. "Congratulations to all the newly appointed office bearers of the BJP," he said, describing the appointments as coming at a crucial juncture for the party as it looks to expand its organisation and message across the country.
He added that he had worked closely with Mhaskey and the newly appointed co-convenors over the past decade, and expressed confidence that the team would go on to take the BJP's digital communication efforts to new milestones.
Malviya also took the opportunity to thank the party's social media supporters for standing by him through his 11 years in charge of the department, saying the community had stayed together through difficult periods and played a decisive role in reshaping India's public discourse.
“I have had the privilege of working closely with each of them over the last decade,” Malviya said, referring to Mhaskey and the new co-convenors. He expressed confidence that the new team would continue to shape public discourse with “conviction, creativity and clarity”.
He described the support he received from the BJP's social media base as a source of personal strength, and thanked everyone he had met and interacted with during his tenure.
He ended his message on a note of optimism, expressing confidence in India's future under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, and urged the party's social media supporters to extend the same backing to his successors.
BJP's Broader Push To Engage GenZ
The leadership change comes against the backdrop of a wider BJP push to strengthen its youth outreach, particularly after the protests linked to the NEET paper leak controversy.
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During a Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reportedly urged his Cabinet colleagues to become more active on the platform, citing its immense popularity among India's youth and its potential as a key channel for public engagement.
In an effort to make government communication more approachable to younger audiences, he had urged ministers to use Instagram not only to highlight government programs but also to engage directly with citizens, particularly students, through interactive sessions and short-form video content.
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