Cong youth wing finds few takers

GUWAHATI : At a time political parties are banking on support from youngsters to see them through elections, the state Congress is failing to attract voters between 18 and 35 years of age.
With the assembly elections being just two years away, more than five lakh members of Youth Congress ‘s Assam unit have not renewed their membership. Accusatory fingers are being pointed towards the performance of the government and continuing dissidence within Congress in the state.
The heavy erosion in the membership in Congress’s frontal organization was revealed during its recent membership drive ahead of its organizational election on December 4 and 5.
"In the last organization election, there were about nine lakh members in Youth Congress here. This time, the number has dropped to about 3.5 lakh as a majority of the members have refused to renew their membership," a source said.
“Last time, everyone was invited to join Youth Congress. This time, we are being a bit selective,” is the official line of the party. However, not many are buying the logic.
"The poor number is a direct result of dissidence, the government’s performance and the Lok Sabha debacle," the source said.
Pranjal Ghatowar, son of former Union minister and former PCC president Paban Singh Ghatowar, is a contender for the top post in Youth Congress’s state unit. His rivals for the top slot include Santanu Bora, son of Rajya Sabha MP and former state minister Pankaj Bora, and Manas Bora, son of social welfare minister Akon Bora. Two other frontrunners are Subramitra Gogoi and Hiranya Bhuyan.
The election will be conducted across all districts on December 4 and 5 and the counting will take place on December 7.