BJP Haryana State Head – Social Media Department Arun Yadav said data is the "new diamond", urged citizens to vote to improve governance, and argued that AI should remain an assistant not a replacement for human creativity.
Political social media is often reduced to narratives around trolling and online abuse, but its real purpose lies in connecting citizens with government services and ensuring welfare schemes reach the last mile, according to Arun Yadav, State Head, Social Media Department, BJP Haryana.
Speaking in a fireside chat titled "From Broadcasting to Dialogue: Leveraging Social and Digital Media to Build Public Trust and Empower Citizens" at the BrandCommunion’s flagship event Convergence Summit, Yadav discussed the evolving role of digital communication in governance. The session was moderated by Udit Pathak, Managing Director and CEO, Media Mantra Group.
Addressing a common perception around political communication, Yadav said, "Whenever political social media is discussed, the first thing many people say is, 'Oh, that's just a troll army.' But that's not how it works."
He argued that political social media exists to communicate government initiatives, inform citizens and connect those who struggle to access public services.
To illustrate his point, Yadav recounted an incident from 2016 when he received a Facebook message about a family whose marriage had been delayed because their home lacked electricity.
After escalating the issue to officials associated with the rural electrification programme, electricity reached the village within six months. "When that young man eventually got married, I was invited as the chief guest at his wedding. That is the real impact of political social media," he said.
The discussion also explored the growing role of data in election campaigns. Calling data "the new diamond", Yadav said technology companies derive immense value from it and political campaigns, too, increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making.
However, he maintained that leadership and governance ultimately outweigh analytics. "We have a leader who is guiding both the country and our party. When a leader of his stature is involved, data alone does not determine outcomes," he said.
Yadav emphasised that booth-level voter data remains one of the most valuable inputs during elections. He argued that communities with consistently higher voter turnout tend to receive greater political attention, urging citizens to participate more actively in the democratic process rather than limiting political engagement to social media discussions.
Turning to younger audiences, Yadav said Generation Z responds to opportunities built around entrepreneurship, transparency and trust.
He credited initiatives such as Startup India and Stand-Up India for encouraging young Indians to become job creators rather than job seekers, adding that Gurugram has emerged as one of the country's leading startup hubs because of an ecosystem that supports innovation.
Artificial Intelligence also featured prominently during the conversation. While acknowledging AI's growing importance, Yadav cautioned against treating it as a substitute for human thinking. "AI has become an extremely important tool, but I look at AI as a servant, not as a replacement for human intelligence," he said. He encouraged professionals to use AI for research, analysis and planning while continuing to invest in their own creativity and upskilling.
During a rapid-fire round, Yadav described X as a platform for narrative-building while calling Instagram a useful medium for understanding Gen Z trends. Asked to choose between AI and human creativity, he chose the latter, arguing that technology can assist but cannot replicate original human imagination. He also identified trust, consistency and clear communication as the three defining characteristics of a successful political campaign.
Concluding the session, Yadav offered advice to young professionals considering careers in political consulting. Politics, he said, demands service and sacrifice rather than personal gain. Quoting a well-known line, he added, "The nation gives us so much; we too must learn to give something back," urging aspiring political professionals to enter public life with the intention of serving society.
