Omprakash Bishnoi, a well-known astrologer and social media influencer from the Jodhpur region of Rajasthan, has faced a stark reality check in local elections. Despite a large digital presence, his first-hand experience in the ballot box turned out very different.
Bishnoi contested for the post of gram panchayat president in a village under Osian taluk in Jodhpur district. The village has around 1,600 voters, but he managed to secure only 33 votes.
Adding to the surprise, Bishnoi said that 11 of those 33 votes came from his own family members. He has a combined following of about 2.1 million across platforms—around 1.4 million on Instagram, 232,000 on Facebook and more than 500,000 on YouTube.
He has previously shared videos on topics such as anti-drug awareness on social media. Accepting the defeat, Bishnoi noted that while he may have support online, he failed to win the backing of voters in his own village—highlighting that likes and views do not automatically translate into votes.
