India's BJP Removes Social Media Team Posts After Appointments

NEW DELHI — India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party appointed a new national social media team on Aug. 17, 2026. Hours after the announcement, X profiles of several of the newly named officials became unavailable as users shared screenshots of older posts that had generated controversy.

The BJP named Deepak Mhaske as national social media convener, ending Amit Malviya's 11-year tenure in the role. The party also appointed Priti Gandhi, Shivanand Dwivedi, Alok Bhatt and Arun Yadav as co-conveners.

Mhaske's X account, created in 2009, now shows many older posts as no longer visible. Posts from before Aug. 17 have been removed from his timeline, though replies to his past posts remain accessible.

Among the deleted posts was a July 2024 video questioning Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's religion. Other removed posts targeted the Congress party and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Mhaske, an academic from Chhattisgarh, has worked with the BJP's IT and social media operations for 15 years, managing social media during BJP victories in Bihar and West Bengal elections.

After his appointment, Mhaske said the BJP's social media team would work to counter what it views as propaganda and address misconceptions about the party and government.

Priti Gandhi, previously associated with the BJP's women's wing, had regularly posted from her X account. Her profile is now not publicly accessible. In November 2025, a post by Gandhi about Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues drew criticism when she attacked Rodrigues for discussing religion in relation to her representation of India.

Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News, shared a screenshot of another post allegedly made by Gandhi. In that post, which is also currently unavailable, she claimed to be a fan of Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, and stated she was ashamed of her surname, writing she "should have been a Godse."

Alok Bhatt's X profile is also no longer publicly available. Senior advocate Vrinda Grover shared a screenshot of a controversial post allegedly made by Bhatt that targeted a Congress leader.

Shivanand Dwivedi and Arun Yadav were also appointed co-conveners. Following their appointments, their social media profiles similarly became inaccessible.

After his appointment, Mhaske said the BJP's social media team would work to counter what it views as propaganda and address misconceptions about the party and government.

Alok Bhatt's X profile is also no longer publicly available. Senior advocate Vrinda Grover shared a screenshot of a controversial post allegedly made by Bhatt that targeted a Congress leader.

Shivanand Dwivedi and Arun Yadav were also appointed co-conveners. Following their appointments, their social media profiles similarly became inaccessible.