Three of their candidates participated in sessions to engage with them before the polls on April 29; party manifesto for the youth was also unveiled
Congress candidates Sanjay Nirupam and Urmila Matondkar, with party leader Hardik Patel at Chitrakut Ground in Andheri where they interacted with the youth. Pic/Satej Shinde
A few days from the polls, Mumbai's Congress candidates are busy wooing young voters. North Central candidate Priya Dutt and North West candidate Sanjay Nirupam attended events to interact with the youth on Sunday. Nirupam had invited Hardik Patel to address the youth. North candidate Urmila Matondkar was also present at the event, where Patel took digs at the Narendra Modi-led government and spoke about its failure, and candidates then unveiled a manifesto for the youth.
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An organisation, Citizens Converse, held the interactive sessions to bridge the gap between the youth and the candidates. One of the members of the organisation, Mizan Tejani, said, "The aim was to educate the electorate and explain the roles of members of Parliament and members of the legislative Assembly, and also the local corporators to the youth. Participants were between the age group 18 to 25. The idea was to do away with the discomfort between the youth and candidates, and give it a more casual, interactive approach."
Congress candidate Priya Dutt speaks to the youth at Khar Social
After taking pot shots at Modi, Nirupam promised that 22 lakh government job vacancies would be filled by 2020. It was the BJP and Shiv Sena who had gone all out in 2014 to woo young voters with a promise of jobs, and now Congress leaders are trying to attract them.
Nirupam said, "It is time for change. Our opposition has also started saying Rahul Gandhi should be the prime minister and is against the Modi government. Let us ensure that the Gandhi government is elected and we promise that the manifesto wish-list will be completely adhered to in the next five years. They promised job employment but they failed, and we will ensure our manifesto promise is delivered."
'Youth upset with BJP'
Patel said, "The youth are upset with the BJP. The BJP is also using Twitter against Matondkar who has joined us. Whoever raises their voice against wrongdoings is tagged as anti-national on social media." Matondkar said, "It is for our youth that we present this manifesto. 2019 is not just any election. Today we vote on the India we want to live in. I speak to you as a friend, someone who grew up in a middle class Marathi household."
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