Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar addresses Congress Legislature Party (CLP) members | Source: X/DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has directed the state Congress to expand its outreach to Gen Z, emphasising the importance of attracting more youngsters into the party fold.
In his maiden address to the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Tuesday evening, Shivakumar, who spoke for around two hours, directed his party leaders to focus on building the Bharat Jodo Yuva Sangha (Bharat Jodo Youngsters Forum) to aid in its outreach.
Be careful of Gen Z, they got the resignation of a Union minister and have shaken the prime minister himself, Shivakumar told the CLP,
Shivakumar said that Gen Z had forced even Prime Minister Narendra Modi to post reels at midnight to assuage the anger of youngsters, and that the Congress needs to be mindful of this. Mine and our time is over, this is their (Gen Z) era, he said, the source revealed.
Nava Yuga. Yuva Yuga.
Karnataka’s youth are not just the future – they are the force driving our state forward today.
From Yuva Nidhi to Bharat Jodo Youth Clubs, from building Yuva Karnataka to creating 72,000 jobs, our focus is clear: create opportunities, empower our youth… pic.twitter.com/MDT65dBC9g
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) August 19, 2026
One Congress legislator, present at the CLP, said that the chief minister pressed lawmakers to emphasise focusing on youngsters, help formulate policies centred around them and attract more youth towards the party ideology.
“He has asked the party leaders to focus on building these Bharat Jodo forums, encouraging sports, cultural activities, and nurturing leadership that could bring them closer to the Congress ideology,” the MLA told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity.
Shivakumar has asked legislators to utilise the proposed Bharat Jodo Yuva Kendras to maximise the party’s outreach.
Recent Gen Z-led protests, such as the Jantar Mantar protests over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) paper leak controversy that led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, have forced political parties to shift their focus toward younger demographies. In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced free online classes for competitive exams, Artificial Intelligence (AI) training programmes for 1 crore youngsters, and a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5–15 (Gen Alpha).
In his maiden Independence Day speech, Shivakumar followed suit and proposed the introduction of ‘AI Akshara Abhiyana’ and ‘Coding Gurukul’, which would provide students with opportunities to learn AI from as early as Class 6 onwards.
Additionally, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi recently launched an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on Instagram to interact with students directly, underscoring the party’s strategy to expand its support base ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and upcoming polls.
‘Funds crunch’
Earlier in July, the Congress government issued orders to establish 10,000 such forums across the state for youth aged 16–35. Each forum will receive an annual grant of Rs 10 lakh, including an honorarium of Rs 24,000 per trainer.
Political outfits have largely limited their outreach, relying on caste-based groups and appealing to the larger women demographic in the past for electoral dividends. Several political leaders in Karnataka, among other places, have roped in social media experts, to expand their reach to youngsters as well.
Despite having risen from student politics himself, Shivakumar has so far been unable to implement Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s July 2025 directions to resume college-level elections in Karnataka.
The Congress has instructed its Karnataka unit to restart student elections on campuses, resuming a practice last held in the 1989-90 academic year. A ban on the same was imposed by the Veerendra Patil-led Congress government in 1989.
Nor has the party been able to induct youngsters into key roles within the Congress party in the state or the Cabinet, favouring seniority, caste and region combination among other factors.
The average age of 64-year-old Shivakumar’s 33-member Cabinet is nearly 61; its youngest minister is former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son, Yathindra, who is 46.
Congress leaders also add that there are other challenges to the outreach to youngsters, including a funds crunch. “Even if we do make these Bharat Jodo forums, there are hundreds of complexities in receiving funds for the same. They want proof of memberships, audits, registration, etc. Some MLAs and ministers feel that they won’t be able to secure allotted funds, which may lead to more disillusionment,” the leader cited above said.
Shivakumar has announced a flurry of big-ticket projects that have added to uncertainty of funds, already under strain over its flagship guarantees, for constituencies, especially for drought relief. However, Shivakumar has asked MLAs to submit constituency-level plans that can be completed within two years, for which he will provide funds within a year.
The leader cited above said this was to ensure that leaders have something to show as development before the state heads to the polls again in 2028 as well as gaining an edge in the upcoming Bengaluru City Corporation, Zilla and Taluk Panchayat polls.
‘No one gave me power’
Shivakumar spoke on a host of issues, including the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), recent transfer of power in the state, the disruption by Opposition parties in the ongoing Monsoon Session, and even apologising to MLAs who did not secure a Cabinet berth, party insiders say.
“No matter how many precautions we take, there is a situation where about one crore people will lose their votes under SIR. You should create awareness in your constituency to use the opportunity to make corrections,” he told legislators.
He reiterated that no one had given him power too in the past, overlooking him for ministerial positions. “Earlier, I was not given a ministerial post either. But I did not ask why you did not give it. Later, they gave me power. Even then, they did not ask why. I have worked loyally both when I was given power and when I was not given power.
He defended the party’s decision to induct B. Nagendra, the main accused in the Rs 187-crore Valmiki Corporation scam, into the Cabinet. “The charges have not been proven. There is a case against Kumaraswamy and Shobha Karandlaje too. Are they not in power?” he questioned.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partner, the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), are attempting to corner the Shivakumar-led government over the Bidadi township, drought relief, takeover of NICE Project, Hanur encounter of three alleged poachers, and are demanding the ouster of Nagendra.
He asked legislators to focus on the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Association as well. He then asked MLAs to increase their outreach to beneficiaries of the party’s guarantee schemes.
“In other states, those who do not vote are not getting government schemes. Convince yourself that the same will happen here too. If you do not work in your own constituency, then you will be in trouble in the future. If you do not take it seriously, it means that you are not interested in retaining your MLA seat,” he said, according to the first person cited above.
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