New Delhi [India], April 20 : Proving his massive digital influence once again, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's candid video of enjoying West Bengal's iconic street snack "Jhalmuri" went viral on social media, clocking over 100 million views after a day of being posted on Instagram, while on Facebook, it quickly surged toward the 90 million mark.
The 'PM Modi effect' extended well beyond social feeds, sparking a massive wave of curiosity about the snack. Google searches for "Jhalmuri" spiked to their highest levels in 22 years, catapulting the street snack into the spotlight.
Prime Minister Modi's audience on social media is unmatched. With over 100 million Instagram followers, making him the first world leader to achieve this feat, and over 56 million on Facebook, his popularity is unparalleled. His 106.6 million followers on X add to his overall influence.
The light-hearted moment near a local shop in Jhargram came in between continuous campaigning for the BJP ahead of West Bengal's elections, scheduled to be conducted in two phases on April 23 and 29.
In the video, the Prime Minister was seen engaging with the shopkeeper, saying, "Bhai, hame apna jhalmuri khilao". During the candid interaction, when asked if he eats onions, PM Modi jokingly replied, "Pyaaz khaate hai, dimag nai khaate bas," leaving the shopkeeper laughing. Demonstrating a humble gesture, he paid ₹10 for the snack, insisting on payment when the shopkeeper initially hesitated.
The Prime Minister was also seen distributing the traditional puffed rice-based mixture to locals gathered at the spot, drawing considerable attention as the eatery quickly became crowded during his visit.
The small shop contained all sorts of namkeens and mixture packets and was neatly bottled in containers along with the staple "muri" (puffed rice), and witnessed an unexpected surge of visitors amid the Prime Minister's stopover.
PM Modi was dressed in his signature attire: a white kurta, a dark blue pinstriped waistcoat, and a bright red scarf with a white BJP lotus symbol embroidered on it.
Surrounding him is an enthusiastic crowd of people, mostly women in the foreground, who are smiling, laughing, and excitedly watching him. Several people in the background are holding up their smartphones to take photos or videos of the moment.
Sharing glimpses of the moment on the social media platform X, PM Modi wrote: "In between four rallies across West Bengal on a packed Sunday, had some delicious Jhalmuri in Jhargram."
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