Twitter and the Rebranding of Narendra Modi

Through a qualitative study of the historical patterns of retweeting and favouriting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's messages, followbacks to other Twitter accounts, and evolving themes of messages pre- and post-election, this essay examines trends in his political discourse that have corresponded to four distinct periods. Thoughtful construction of messages on Twitter has helped Modi build a powerful online brand, allowing him to transcend a problematic past and emerge as a techno-savvy global leader who speaks directly to his electorate.

Authors would like to acknowledge Shraddha Jain and Verushka Patel for their research work. Additionally, the authors acknowledge the anonymous reviewer’s suggestions for the paper.