Rajasthan Congress to prioritize youth in upcoming local elections

Ahead of the upcoming local body and Panchayati Raj elections in Rajasthan, the Congress party is implementing a significant youth-focused strategy. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has advocated for allocating more than 50 percent of election tickets to Gen-Z and younger candidates to reflect changing political demographics.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Govind Singh Dotasra expanded on this proposal, announcing that the party aims to provide up to 60 percent of tickets to young candidates. To support this, the Youth Congress has established a Panchayat Task Force to identify and train individuals under the age of 39 who are not currently affiliated with the party but are interested in grassroots politics.

Gehlot has also emphasized a merit-based selection process, explicitly advising against distributing tickets based on recommendations from senior leaders. He stated that observers should be given full freedom to evaluate candidates based on their ground-level connection and dedication rather than political influence.

In response to these moves, the BJP has countered by stating that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party already provides adequate opportunities for youth and women. Meanwhile, Gehlot has raised concerns regarding the neutrality of the administration, alleging that the current state government is pressuring officials to favor the BJP during the election process.