Alappuzha (Kerala) [India], August 31 : Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday said the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections would play a decisive role in shaping India's future in 2029, urging the youth to rally behind Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister.
Speaking at the MP Merit Awards 2025 programme in Alappuzha, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of "snatching away the rights of the youth" and asserted that the Congress is fighting to safeguard the 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.
Stating that the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala will decide India's future in 2029, CM Revanth Reddy said that the Congress does not have the money, power, or media 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.
During the last Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister said that he invited Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Telangana. They chose to fight elections from Kerala and considered the state as 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 said.
The CM emphasised that the age limit to contest in Assembly elections should be reduced to 21 years. When 21-year-old IAS officers are running the districts efficiently, shouldn't the 21-year-old youth contest as MLAs? he asked.
He added that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had expanded voting rights to 18-year-olds, while the Modi government was "depriving the youth of their constitutional rights."
The Chief Minister highlighted the Telangana government's initiatives to strengthen the state economy under TelanganaRising - 2047. The government has targeted to achieve 3 trillion US dollar economy by 2047 and 1 trillion US dollar economy by 2035.
Congratulating AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal for initiating a commendable programme of distributing merit scholarships to talented students, CM Revanth Reddy stated that the Telangana government has filled 11,055 teaching posts in just 55 days to strengthen the education sector and establish Young India Residential Schools in 100 Assembly constituencies.
"Each school is being constructed on a sprawling 5 acres at a cost of Rs 200 crore. The government also resolved to provide quality education to the poor on par with corporate schools. We also set up Young India Skills University to develop skills among the youth and appointed noted Industrialist Anand Mahindra as its chairman. The ITI institutions have been upgraded as ATCs, and the Sports University and Sports Academy are aiming to win medals in the Olympics. Education is a big gift and also a weapon to achieve many things in everyone's life," he noted.
Reddy praised AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal for instituting the MP Merit Awards and said that Kerala's commitment to education and adult literacy remained a role model for the country.