“Are You On Twitter?” US Journo Asks Third-Most Followed Leader

With a combined 48 million followers from both handles, PM Modi even has more followers than US President Trump.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin and American journalist Megyn Kelly. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@MegynKelly)

There might be a hundred questions that any journalist would want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Asking if he’s on Twitter should definitely not be one of them. But American senior journalist and political commentator Megyn Kelly did just that.

With 14 years of experience in journalism with Fox News, and being the “most watched anchor” of America’s youth, Kelly is one of America’s most prominent journalists. On 1 June, Kelly announced that her new show on NBC would go on air with an exclusive interview with Vladimir Putin.

Megyn Didn’t Do Her Homework, But Modi Did...

The Prime Minister, it seems, is not quite as lackadaisical about the people he’s scheduled to meet. Though he has a formidable 48 million followers compared with Kelly’s paltry 2.3 million, he seemed to know all about her.

I saw your tweet, with an umbrella.

PM Modi to Megyn Kelly

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@megynkelly)

What Twitter Stats Say

According to Twiplomacy study 2017, the Indian Prime Minister is the third most followed political leader in the world. While his personal handle is the third most followed, the official prime minister’s office handle is just behind it in fourth place.

(Photo Courtesy: Twiplomacy)

With a combined 48 million followers from both his handles, Modi has even more followers than the US President Donald Trump’s combined accounts, and beats the most followed world leader, Pope Francis, hands down.

‘Self-Obsessed Americans?’

Twitterati who religiously follow the Indian prime minister were apoplectic that a senior journalist didn’t know about Modi’s immense social media popularity, and criticised her roundly.