A Different Yatra To Enlighten Youth?

19 Aug, 2018 16:17 IST|Sakshi
Naga Sravan Kilaru

It is a season of yatras across the two Telugu speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana! While we have seen mostly political yatras in both the states, here is a different kind of yatra or journey that promises to enlighten the youth and also involve them in local politics. Called Yuvagalam, this journey starts from Ichapuram in Srikakulam district and will end at Anantapur.

Yuvagalam, march for million dreams, is led by a youngster Naga Sravan Kilaru from Vijayawada. He along with a batch of youth would be traveling from northernmost point of the state to the south end. The yatra will be on foot and cycle, covering 3,000 kilometers. Sravan and his friends plan to meet college students and understand their issues and concerns while motivating them to take up more active participation in politics.

Sravan is of the belief that after the yatra covers the entire state, the group will be able to formulate a state youth policy. But are there any takers? Sravan believes all the political parties will have sit up and take notice of them as a unified vote bank. Unlike all these years, where politicians have been using local youth for their purposes and votes, Yuvagalam plans to have a youth agenda and whoever addresses their concerns, they would support that political party.

The yatra was trying to understand that there was more than employment and studies that the youth are bothered about in the state. Till now, the yatra has covered around 300 kilometers and they wish to continue until their goal is achieved.

The campaign has received support from political mentors. It has already signed up TDP MP Rammohan Naidu and Nellore MLA Anil Kumar from the YSRCP besides BJP MLC PVN Madhav.

Sravan seems to have set his eyes on 37 lakh odd youth who would be voting for the first time in the state. Interestingly the state also has over one crore people within the age group of 18-35. Yuvagalam through its activities and "enlightened" yatra was trying to woo these people into its fold. The 2019 elections seem to be the testing ground for this youngster. If he is successful in appealing to at least 50 per cent of his target audience, this goal to grow up as the politician for the 2024 is set!

Yuvagalam’s initiator has his role cut-out clearly. Sravan, as the leader of state youth, would like to call shots at the political parties in the next elections. Yet another political power house in the making? Speaking to a news portal he said he would like to continue working in politics. "I can't say I have specific plans but I don't mind working behind the scenes or in full public view. If there is a time when I choose to enter politics, I would like to start from the grassroots level myself and work my way up," he concludes. Isn't this yatra, Yuvagalam, a step towards starting from grassroots level?

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