Islamabad, Pakistan – Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s former information minister, expressed surprise at the impact of a three-word social media post on platform X that he made on May 1. The post featured a video clip of Rahul Gandhi, an Indian opposition leader, criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party. The post quickly went viral, garnering over 1.8 million views and sparking a heated conversation about India’s election campaign.
Chaudhry’s post drew criticism from Amit Malviya, a BJP official, who accused him of promoting the Indian Congress party. Modi himself referenced Chaudhry’s post during an election rally, claiming that Pakistan was supporting Congress and criticizing the opposition’s alleged ties to Pakistan.
The increased focus on Pakistan in the Indian election campaign contrasts with previous months when relations between the two countries were not a major theme. The ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, as well as the issue of Kashmir, have been central to Modi’s campaign.
Despite the backlash, Chaudhry continued to post about the Indian election, suggesting that religious minorities in India could unite against the BJP. Modi, on the other hand, continued to insinuate a connection between the Congress party and Pakistan without evidence.
Analysts believe that the repeated references to Pakistan in the campaign reflect a shift in India towards a Hindu majoritarian polity. If Modi and the BJP win the election, it is expected that bilateral ties between India and Pakistan will further deteriorate.