BJP Leader N Ramchander Rao Slams Revanth Reddy Proposal to Lower Poll Age

Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Monday criticized Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s proposal to reduce the minimum age for contesting elections from 25 to 21 years, describing it as a diversion tactic. Speaking to reporters during a news conference held at the BJP state office in Hyderabad, Ramchander Rao alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s proposal was an attempt to divert public attention away from the Congress government’s unfulfilled promises to students and youth in the state.

Elaborating on the constitutional background of election eligibility, Ramchander Rao stated that the framers of the Constitution, led by BR Ambedkar, had deliberately fixed the minimum age for legislators at 25 years after taking into consideration the experience required to hold public office. He argued that if the Congress government was genuinely committed to promoting young leaders, it should take immediate action within its own administration and party structure.

Specifically, Ramchander Rao said that if the Congress party wanted to showcase its commitment to youth leadership, it should entrust the state education department to a young Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). In addition, he suggested that the Congress should appoint a younger leader as its national president.

Critiquing the government's overall performance, the BJP state chief claimed that the Congress administration had failed to fulfill its key promises to students and youth despite having been in power for over two-and-a-half years. He demanded that the state government immediately release ₹12,000 crore in pending fee reimbursement dues.

Ramchander Rao alleged that the government's failure to clear these dues has caused significant hardship to the student community, stating that approximately 20 lakh students are currently unable to collect their original certificates because colleges have withheld them over unpaid government dues. He further alleged that Telangana’s 17 government universities are currently struggling with severe shortages of necessary funds and faculty members.