Revanth asks youth support for Congress

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday called upon the youth to fight for their rights during the present crisis and resolve to make India’s youngest national leader, Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India in 2029. The Kerala Assembly elections in 2026 will decide India’s future in 2029, the Chief Minister affirmed.

Participating in the presentation of the “MP Merit Awards – 2025”, instituted by Congress MP K. C. Venugopal in Alappuzha, Kerala, on Sunday, the Chief Minister said that the BJP was snatching away the rights of the youth while the Congress was fighting to safeguard constitutional rights.

“Youth are our brand ambassadors. I strongly believe in the power of youth, and their fight for their future will definitely bring a change in the country,” he declared.

Stating that the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala would decide India’s future in 2029, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that the Congress did not have money power or media support. The 2029 Lok Sabha elections, he emphasised, would be a big fight between two political forces, and the youth must play a crucial role in safeguarding the democratic spirit of the country.

Recalling the last Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Minister said that he had invited Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Telangana. They chose to contest from Kerala instead, considering the state their Karmabhumi. “We are organising a big movement against vote theft in the country. Everyone should join the fight to protect the voting rights of every Indian and to protect the Constitution,” he asserted.

The Chief Minister further emphasised that the age limit to contest Assembly elections should be reduced to 21 years. “When 21-year-old IAS officers are efficiently running districts, why should 21-year-old youth not contest as MLAs and MPs? We need to amend the Constitution in this direction,” he said, reminding that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had given every citizen above 18 years the right to vote. “Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is depriving the youth of their constitutional rights,” the Chief Minister charged.

Highlighting Telangana’s development initiatives, the Chief Minister said that the state government was working to strengthen the economy under the Telangana Rising - 2047 vision. The target, he said, was to achieve a $3 trillion economy by 2047 and a $1 trillion economy by 2035.

Congratulating AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal for instituting the MP Merit Awards to distribute scholarships to talented students, Revanth Reddy said the Telangana government had filled 11,055 teaching posts in just 55 days to strengthen the education sector. It had also taken up the construction of Young India Residential Schools in 100 Assembly constituencies, each on 5 acres of land at a cost of `200 crore.

The government, he said, had resolved to provide quality education to the poor on par with corporate schools. It had also established the Young India Skills University, with noted industrialist Anand Mahindra appointed as its chairman, to develop youth skills. In addition, ITI institutions were upgraded as ATCs, while a Sports University and Sports Academy had been set up with the aim of winning Olympic medals. “Education is both a great gift and a powerful weapon to achieve success in life,” the Chief Minister stated.

The Chief Minister praised Venugopal for being a strong voice of the oppressed and the marginalised. The MP Merit Awards instituted by him, he said, were special for the country. “Congress leader K. C. Venugopal has been continuously working for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, especially women and children, across the nation. The merit awards are helping to recognise the best talent among Class 10 and Class 12 students, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and succeed,” Chief Minister Revanth observed.

Kerala has always been at the forefront of education, the Chief Minister noted, adding that its achievement of 100 per cent literacy was a testament to this commitment. The adult education programme implemented in Kerala, he said, was a role model for all states.