Everyone should join the fight to protect voting rights: Telangana CM

Hyderabad, Aug 31 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday called upon all citizens to join the fight to protect the voting rights of every Indian and to protect the Constitution.

Stating that the country is witnessing a big movement against vote theft, he said everyone should join the fight led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.

He was speaking at the MP Merit Awards- 2025 function in Alappuzha, Kerala, organised by Congress MP K. C. Venugopal.

He alleged that the BJP was snatching away the rights of the youth, and the Congress is fighting to safeguard their Constitutional rights. " Youth are our brand ambassadors. I strongly believe in the youth power and their fight for their future will definitely bring a change in the country,” he said.

CM Revanth Reddy 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 in 2029.

He stated that the Kerala Assembly elections in 2026 will decide India's future in 2029.

The Chief Minister said that Congress does not have money, power and media support, but it has people’s support. The 2029 Lok Sabha elections will be a big fight between two political forces, and the youth should play a crucial role in safeguarding the country's democratic spirit, he added.

Revanth Reddy said during the previous Lok Sabha elections, he invited Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Telangana, but they chose to fight elections from Kerala. They choose Kerala as their home, and their constituency as their 'Karmabhumi', he said.

Emphasising the role of youth in politics, the Chief Minister called for lowering the minimum age to contest Assembly elections to 21 years. “When 21-year-old IAS officers are running the district administrations efficiently, why can’t 21-year-olds contest as MLA,” he said and demanded a Constitutional amendment in this regard.

Revanth Reddy recalled that it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who reduced the voting age to 18 years. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of depriving the youth of their Constitutional rights.

The Chief Minister highlighted the Telangana government's initiatives to strengthen the state economy under Telangana Rising - 2047. The government has targeted to achieve 3 trillion US dollar economy by 2047 and 1 trillion US dollar economy by 2035.

He congratulated AICC General Secretary Venugopal for distributing merit scholarships to the talented students. Revanth Reddy praised Venugopal for being a strong voice for the victims of oppression and injustice. The MP Merit Awards instituted by Venugopal are special for the country, he said, adding that the Congress leader has been continuously working for the upliftment of SC, ST, OBC, minorities, especially women and children in the entire country.

CM Revanth Reddy said Kerala always stood top in providing education and termed its adult education programme a role model for all states.

He stated that the Telangana government has filled 11,055 teaching posts in just 55 days to strengthen the education sector and built Young India Residential Schools in 100 Assembly constituencies. He revealed that each school is being constructed on a sprawling 5 acres at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

The Chief Minister said the government was also striving to provide quality education to the poor on par with corporate schools. “We have also set up Young India Skills University to develop skills among the youth and appointed noted Industrialist Anand Mahindra as its chairman,” he added.

--IANS

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