Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Aug 31: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday issued a strong call to action for citizens, especially youth, urging them to join the nationwide fight to protect voting rights and the Constitution. Speaking at the MP Merit Awards 2025 in Alappuzha, Kerala, he threw his full support behind the campaign led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling it a movement against the growing threat of "vote theft" in the country.
Reddy accused the BJP of systematically stripping away the rights of India’s youth and asserted that the Congress party was standing as their shield. "Youth are our brand ambassadors. I believe in their strength, and their fight for their future will drive change across the country," he said.
The Chief Minister urged young citizens to actively resist the current political crisis and set their sights on 2029 by supporting Rahul Gandhi as the nation’s next Prime Minister. He said the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections in 2026 would serve as a critical turning point in shaping that future.
He acknowledged the challenges Congress faces, lacking the backing of financial power, media, or administrative machinery, but insisted that it retains the most valuable asset — the support of the people. The 2029 Lok Sabha elections, he said, will be a defining contest between two ideologies, and the youth must take center stage in preserving the democratic framework.
Highlighting the need for greater youth representation in politics, Reddy advocated lowering the minimum age to contest Assembly elections to 21 years. Drawing a parallel with young IAS officers already handling major responsibilities, he asked, “If 21-year-olds can run districts, why can't they serve as MLAs?”
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he claimed the current government has failed the youth and eroded their constitutional rights, in stark contrast to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who had empowered them by reducing the voting age to 18.
He also reflected on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, noting that while he had invited Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Telangana, they chose Kerala as their political base, making it their “Karmabhumi.”
Turning to governance, Reddy detailed the Telangana government’s development blueprint under the "Telangana Rising – 2047" initiative, aiming for a $3 trillion economy by 2047 and reaching the $1 trillion mark by 2035. Education, he said, was a major pillar of this vision. The government recently filled over 11,000 teaching positions in just 55 days and launched Young India Residential Schools in 100 constituencies, with each campus spanning five acres and costing Rs 200 crore.
He also announced the establishment of the Young India Skills University, designed to bridge the gap between academic education and employable skills. Industrialist Anand Mahindra has been appointed as its chairman, underlining the state’s commitment to quality education and job-readiness for underprivileged youth.
Praising Kerala for its leadership in literacy and adult education, Revanth Reddy congratulated AICC General Secretary K. C. Venugopal for instituting the MP Merit Awards. He lauded Venugopal’s continued efforts in supporting the underprivileged, including SC, ST, OBC, minority communities, women, and children.
"Education is not just about learning, it's about empowerment," Reddy concluded, emphasizing the Congress party's focus on equality, opportunity, and democratic revival.