Bengaluru, 14 September (HS): With an eye on the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections, the Congress government is seeking to develop the Bharat Jodo youth network into a strong grassroots organisational platform. Around 7.5 lakh young people have already registered with the initiative across the state.

The government plans to establish 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas under the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports. The network is expected to enrol nearly 10 lakh people aged between 16 and 35 in the coming months.

Congress leaders view the initiative as an important platform for engaging young people, particularly first-time voters, and expanding the party's reach at the local level.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar highlighted the political significance of youth mobilisation while recalling the Congress's performance in the 2023 Assembly elections. He said the party had won several constituencies along the route of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra from Chamarajanagar to Ballari.

Shivakumar said the march had been organised to protect the country's unity and integrity. Expressing confidence that its impact would continue, he predicted that the Congress would retain power in Karnataka in 2028.

Each recognised Bharat Jodo Yuva Sangha will have between 100 and 250 members. Their activities will focus on sports, leadership development, cultural programmes and community service.

The government has announced an annual grant of ₹10 lakh for each association, involving a total financial commitment of ₹1,000 crore. The Karnataka Cabinet recently approved the allocation of ₹781 crore through a supplementary budget to support the youth associations.

The initiative has also drawn the attention of the Opposition. Some BJP legislators have reportedly begun encouraging young party supporters to enrol in the associations, anticipating that the expanding network could provide the Congress with a political advantage.

Two BJP legislators acknowledged that the scheme could benefit the ruling party but said they were strategically enrolling their own young supporters to ensure a presence within the network.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman