Omprakash Bishnoi, a 2.1‑million‑follower astrologer‑turned‑YouTuber, lost his bid to become sarpanch of Indon Ki Dhani‑II, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, receiving a mere 33 votes out of 1,600 eligible voters in the March 2024 poll.
Bishnoi’s campaign was a digital spectacle: he posted daily on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, amassing 1.4 million, 232,000 and 500,000 followers respectively, yet the ground turnout proved that online clout does not translate into ballot box influence.
The other two candidates — a local teacher who collected 527 votes and a car‑business owner who won the seat — outperformed the influencer by a wide margin, while 10 votes were recorded for NOTA, signalling voter discontent.
During the interview with NDTV, Bishnoi said he promised education for every child in the village, care for destitute animals and expansion of government schemes; he also highlighted his cow shelter housing 1,500 cows and the donation of 30 bighas of land for communal use.
He denied distributing money or intoxicants to voters, noting that the only vehicle used for campaigning was his own, and admitted that the gap between his online persona and the villagers’ expectations was stark.
Bishnoi, who acknowledged that 11 of his 33 votes came from family, pledged to continue working for the community and hinted at a possible future electoral run once he has built deeper grassroots ties.