All eyes on Congress first list of candidates? Will Rahul-Priyanka duo contest in UP ?? BJP's second list expected to throw up surprises in Bengal and Maharashtra

India is a vast as well as a complex country politically. It is more than just one election --one defeat and one win. The country has achieved many milestones and in every eraany transition period, the youths are important. But what about our youths? What about their "mindsets" amid new challenges and where is their "force of will"? 

How would faceless voters behave while exercising their franchise. Slowly, one will discover an increasing trend vis-a-vis freebies culture. Many a times the politicians and political parties promise 'moon' to the voters and scantly assess where from the money is going to come.

As I try to kick-start a debate on these issues; I am aware of the importance of vision. And hence comes the next question -- who amongst the youths have the 'vision' and perhaps more importantly who have the courage to implement the ideas. 

But we may find a very few youths trying to emerge as real-time aspirational citizens. Why our youths have lost their tracks?

The younger generation should understand that the 'youth leadership' is a vital aspect to achieve anything substantial for any community and the country. 

The young people should not follow the track of a Status Quoist.

We have heard, nothing is permanent except Change. However, youths today are more often lazy both physically and in mind. Can a result oriented election mandate come in that situation?  In 2019, there was no opposition alliance and unlike what was the situation in 2014 and 2019; the major opposition parties have come together. 

Modi's election preparedness is already being called a juggernaut; and on the other side an oft-repeated question can the INDI alliance halt Modi's juggernaut successfully?

PM Modi does not want to simply retain power. Any other politician would be happy to do so. But he wants to win big !! Modi is seen as a pro-Hindutva politics leader no doubt; but he is also seen as a strong leader and under his stewardship, India has attained a new heightened position globally. 

 

Many Indians also believe that in the contemporary setting, India needs a strog leader to lead India.  In the words of Modi, "If India has to emerge as a Developed country by 2047 (when India will turn 100 -- that since 1947); next five years are going to be very important". 

"In the next five years, India will have to work faster than it has been doing so far," he said. 

In the recent past, elsewhere in the country, the Indian youths have responded tothe challenges and opportunities of the new era. People are setting up StartUps. In many places in states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat and Odisha; there are youths not crazy after government jobs. They have started working on their personal and entrepreneur skills. 

That's the perfect way the youths should chalk out their own strategies. There is a fundamental mind change. Youths in states such as Gujarat and Maharashtra have plunged into their own projects. Importantly, the states are playing a crucial 'enabling' roles

This is what is lacking in many other states though. These have to change immediately.  The leaders have to lead from the front. And if that has not happened, it is time for the common voters and the youths to think about a corrective step. I am talking more from the view point of sociology and education than politics. 

But from my experience, what I can tell the younger generation is that purposeful education goes a long way in building up the career of an individual and the destiny of a community.

The Opposition has been on a back foot while fighting Narendra Modi. This started before 2014 -- when Modi emerged a catalyst of 'achheydin' and trounced the Congress-led UPA. The fact of the matter is Congress and other opposition parties are also to be blamed.

Between 2004 and 2014, when the Congress-led UPA was in power, it faced large scale corruption charge and also 'inefficiency' and indecisiveness. Modi has tried to present his and his government's image in contrast -- no corruption, effectively efficient and a decisive regime. He took risks and many unprecedented decisions.

The GST and noteban were two major decisions of Modi's first tenure -- 2014 to 2019. In 2019, after elections, he abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The move fulfilled a longstanding Hindu-nationalist pledge and was widely welcomed across India, but angered many in the territory itself. A report by Amnesty International found that the government had “drastically intensified repression” in Kashmir after the removal of article 370," says an article in London-based 'The Guardian'.