Rahul Gandhi's 25 per cent tickets for youth worries seniors

HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leaders in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are worried and the young leaders are happy with the decision of AICC president Rahul Gandhi in the selection of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.  Mr Gandhi has taken a decision to encourage young leaders in the party and also to give party tickets for the elections. Mr Gandhi has taken a decision to give 25 per cent of tickets to youth leaders in the coming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. 

Giving an indication about this, Mr Gandhi has given preference to young leaders by nominating 25 per cent young leaders as AICC members across the country. In the Congress circles, there is a speculation that the party leaders who are above 60 years of age will not be given party tickets for the next elections. APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy said that the party High Command did not take any such decision but one thing is clear that Mr Gandhi wants to give 25 per cent of the tickets to young leaders in the next elections.

All these days, the Congress High Command gave preference to senior leaders than the young leaders while selecting the party candidates. It has become a habit during every election that the Youth Congress passes a resolution requesting the High Command to give some tickets to youth. “Such resolutions are not required now as the High Command has decided to give more tickets to young leaders,” a Youth Congress leader said.

Meanwhile, some senior Congress leaders want to bring their family members into politics so as to not lose the ticket. In some constituencies, whether it is Lok Sabha or Assembly, if strong young leaders are not available, seniors will be given tickets.  Mr Jana Reddy and Geeta Reddy are sitting MLAs. A senior Congress leader said that youth leaders mean those between 45 to 55 years of age.