Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced on Sunday that a resolution will be passed in the state Assembly seeking a Constitutional amendment to lower the minimum age for contesting Legislative Assembly elections from 25 to 21.
He termed his proposal to change the minimum age as a "need of the hour" and insisted that the youth should play a vital role in the active politics of the country. The Chief Minister made the remarks after participating in the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration day and presenting the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award to senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid.
Reddy praised former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for successfully reducing the minimum voting age from 21 to 18, noting it had helped strengthen the parliamentary democratic spirit in the country. He argued that since 21-year-old IAS and IPS officers are successfully working in districts, "why one cannot be an MLA at 21 years of age?".
"In the coming days, a resolution will be passed in the Telangana Assembly seeking Constitutional amendment for reducing the minimum age to contest Assembly elections from 25 to 21. Youth must be given the opportunity to run the country," Reddy stated.
He recalled that the Sadbhavna Yatra was initiated by Rajiv Gandhi to safeguard the integrity of the country, and stressed that the Gandhi family has inspired the entire nation, with the word 'Gandhi' being synonymous with India.
The Chief Minister subsequently launched an attack on the opposition BRS, accusing it of being the "B" team of the BJP, whose strategy is to split votes in the ensuing Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency by-election. "BRS entered a secret agreement with BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The transfer of 21 per cent votes to BJP in Lok Sabha elections was enough to prove the BRS party's conspiracy politics in the state," he alleged. He further claimed the BRS had adopted the same political strategy in the Jubilee Hills by-election and predicted that the next Assembly elections will also witness BRS and BJP "collusion politics." He appealed to the public to foil the BRS's attempt to split the votes in the Jubilee Hills by-election.
Later, speaking at the 'Sadar Sammelan' organised by the Sri Krishna Sadar Sammelan Utsav Committee, Reddy affirmed that the Yadav community is being given importance in providing political opportunities, as well as extending the benefits of all welfare schemes. The Chief Minister said he is ready to address all the grievances of the Yadav community, appealing to the Yadavs to extend their cooperation for the development of Hyderabad. He also recalled the pivotal role played by the community in the formation and development of Telangana state.
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