Political parties relying more on Youth Wings

Assembly Elections 2014:'Local senior leaders envious'

 

PS BALI

Jammu, Nov 1:

As the state prepares to go for polls, political parties are relying more on their Youth Wings by endowing these with more responsibilities to make winning combinations that they hope will place them firmly in the corridors of power.

Most of the political parties in the state have shown faith in the working of their student and youth wings, which are probably assigned to mobilize youth.

Working ideally to generate more and more support at the grass root level, the youth wings of all major parties, viz People’s Democratic Party (PDP), National Conference (NC), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha and National Panthers Students Union (NPSU) are these days busy arranging and organizing political events in their respective constituencies.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, PDP youth wing, state General Secretary, Tahir Sayeed said that the party has reposed much faith in the youth wing and has given special responsibilities of promoting party’s manifesto.

“We are been told to mobilize youth and to reach people at grass root for sensitizing them about the manifesto of PDP,” he said, adding that youths are advised to connect with people through social networking sites.

He added that the faith of party president, Mehbooba Mufti in youth wing becomes evident from the fact that suggestions given by the wing are incorporated in the party’s manifesto.

The Bhartiya Janta Party(BJP) , Youth Morcha state president, Ravinder Raina shared that ahead of J&K elections National President BJYM, Anurag Thakur  convened a special meeting with the state unit  and guided members to mobilize youth for maximum support.

He said that the high Command from New Delhi has instructed youth wing to speed up its activities and reach out to the people, especially in backward and rural areas.

“We are advised to hold conventions and conferences across the state, including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to motivate youth for maximum support in the upcoming elections,” he said, adding that till now they have constituted 87 teams at District, Block and Tehsil level to promote party’s agenda, constituency wise.

The state president of NSUI, Neeraj Kundan said that they have started work as per the guidelines received from the national high command , which is to raise student issues.

“We have constituted several teams to work at different levels to mobilize support of youth, by raising issues pertaining students. Due to interference of high command from New Delhi, members of Youth wing were made part of congress party mandate,” he said.

Similarly, NPSU state president, Varinder Thakur said that they are working to propagate youth centric politics in the state. “We are visiting different constituencies of the state to aware youth about the party manifesto that is to replace communal and regional politics with student centric politics,” he said.

NCSU, youth wing president, Usman Gani said that they are working tirelessly for the upcoming elections by convening meetings, conferences and one to one interactions.

“We are reaching every nook and corner of the state to inform people about the policies of the party, which is pro-people and pro-poor,” he said adding that the members will leave no stone unturned to stimulate support for the party.

However, members of several youth wings also expressed disappointment over the ‘indifferent approach’ of the local leaders and stated that they 'envy youth wing'.

Members of NSUI and NCSU claimed that senior party leaders do not show interest in the youth wing.

“Since the creation of youth wing, no senior leader has come forward to guide us. Even at the time when elections are overhead, nobody guided us,” said member of NSUI, wishing anonymity he added that they are working on the directions of Rahul Gandhi, who has ‘pressurized’ local leaders to include members of youth wing into party mandate.

Meanwhile, NCSU members resented that despite working for the party, no appreciation is given to their work. “We are working day and night to propagate party’s ideology, but in return we remain unnoticed,” said a NCSU member, adding they sweat hard, while children of leaders enjoy the tickets.