Reddy Hails Youth Power After Pradhan Resignation; Pushes for Lowering Election Age

Student Activism Forces Central Government Shift

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy declared that the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan belongs purely to the youth movement. Speaking at a Hyderabad rally on July 25, 2026, Reddy emphasized that neither the Congress party nor other political entities would take credit for this outcome. The Chief Minister characterized the sustained protests following nationwide examination controversies as a defense of democracy by a generation unwilling to accept administrative failure.

Disparity in Democratic Representation

Despite Gen Z comprising nearly 30% of the Indian population, their presence in Parliament sits at less than one percent. Reddy argued that the 'tsunami' of youth momentum must evolve from street demonstrations into institutional presence. To address this imbalance, the Telangana government plans to pursue the following measures:

• Pass an Assembly resolution in August 2026 to reduce the legal contesting age to 21 years.
• Submit this resolution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for national consideration.
• Lobby the INDIA Bloc, specifically Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, to support legislation for increased youth representation.

Calls for Structural Reform and Accountability

The Chief Minister sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to console the families of students who reportedly died by suicide during the recent testing scandals. Reddy suggested that youth leaders should manage vital portfolios like Education and Information Technology, as they are better positioned to interpret the needs of their peers. The rally, which followed a candle march at Jantar Mantar, featured prominent state figures including Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud, who initially proposed the age reduction initiative.

Source: The Hindu — News