Karnataka’s pride: Malnad leaders helm youth power in Congress, BJP

SHIVAMOGGA: With the appointment of Bhadravathi boy and Youth Congress leader B V Srinivas as national Youth Congress presidents, two young leaders from the Malnad region are helming the youth wings of the country’s largest political parties -- Congress and BJP. Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, who is from Chikkamagaluru, heads the BJP Yuva Morcha. Srinivas is the first leader from Karnataka to head the Youth Congress, and was in-charge president of the Indian Youth Congress, even before Surya was elevated to the national post. 

Srinivas (38) was appointed Youth Congress interim president in July 2019 when Keshav Chand Yadav resigned from the post after the Lok Sabha polls. Srinivas’s family moved to Bengaluru when he was young. He joined the Karnataka Youth Congress in 2005 and was elevated to the post of Rajajinagar Block Youth Congress president. He became state general secretary of the Karnataka State Youth Congress Committee in 2011.

Later, former AICC president Rahul Gandhi chose him for a bigger assignment as vice-president of the Indian Youth Congress. He travelled through many states to strengthen the Youth Congress and led several movements, including ‘Rozgar Do’, an Unemployment Day campaign, condemning the Modi government.

Srinivas spoke to TNIE from the Delhi border, where he is part of the langar service for the past four days. “Rahul Gandhi has given me this opportunity. I’m the first person from Karnataka to be given this post. He appointed me considering my work in previous assignments, and ability to garner youth power. I’m confident of fulfilling my assignment,” he said. 

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, who is related to Basvanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya, has served in various roles for over seven years. He headed the party’s digital communications team during the 2018 Assembly elections, and campaigned for Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.