New Delhi: With an eye on the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has stepped up its efforts to connect with young voters through a special outreach programme aimed at Gen Z. The campaign seeks to counter the Opposition’s narrative around unemployment, recruitment delays and paper leaks by presenting young Indians as innovators, entrepreneurs and nation builders.
The move comes at a time when Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been raising the issue of paper leaks to reach out to young voters. In response, the BJP is trying to shape the political thinking of first time voters and young urban Indians through a series of interactive programmes across states.
BJP leader Nitin Naveen, who has been leading the campaign in different states, first spoke in May about redefining the “real Gen Z”. In June, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya interacted with young voters in Bengaluru. Later, during a visit to Telangana, Naveen addressed engineering students in Hyderabad and said India’s youth should not be seen only through the lens of protest politics.
According to the BJP’s messaging, the “real Gen Z” is not anti establishment by default, but is focused on innovation, development and nation building. Naveen said young Indians today are driven by entrepreneurship, technology, startups and sports, and are contributing to India’s rise.
In Hyderabad, Naveen argued that Gen Z should be seen as a force that gives the country a new direction. He said India’s youth do not weaken the nation, but strengthen it through their energy and ambition. At a meeting of BJP booth presidents in Warangal, he also attacked Opposition parties and accused groups with what he called a “tukde tukde” mindset of trying to divide the country.
The BJP’s outreach is significant because young voters are emerging as a decisive electoral bloc. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, nearly 18 percent of India’s voters belonged to Gen Z. By 2029, this figure is expected to rise to around 22 percent, making the group one of the most influential sections of the electorate.
Party leaders say the campaign is also meant to address concerns that the government has not done enough on issues such as jobs, recruitment delays and examination irregularities. A senior BJP leader said the party wants to deepen its connect with young voters, whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified among its key social support groups along with women, farmers and the poor.
The BJP’s campaign comes as Opposition parties continue to mobilise young voters around unemployment, inflation and paper leaks. For the ruling party, retaining the trust of Gen Z will be crucial as the 2029 electoral battle begins to take shape.