Bhubaneswar: The BJP has drawn up a statewide outreach programme, ‘Yuva Samvad’, to strengthen its organisational base among young people in Odisha, with the campaign set to begin on November 6.
Led by the BJP Yuva Morcha, the initiative will focus on engaging Generation Z through interactions on college and university campuses, as well as outreach programmes at panchayat and mandal levels.
The programme’s roadmap was finalised at a meeting of the Yuva Morcha held at the state BJP headquarters, in the presence of the organisation’s in-charge, co-in-charge and state president, party sources said.
During the campus outreach, party workers will interact with students on issues such as national unity, federalism and national interests. The campaign will also seek to counter misinformation allegedly spread by anti-social and anti-national elements on these subjects. Various competitions will be organised to showcase and encourage the intellectual abilities and talents of young people.
Beyond educational institutions, the Yuva Morcha plans to organise similar interactions at the grassroots level to understand local issues, youth aspirations and their suggestions, while encouraging greater participation of young people in the party organisation.
The initiative assumes significance as Odisha witnessed student union elections on October 15 this year after an eight-year gap. While ABVP-backed candidates secured victories in several colleges and universities, the BJD’s student wing, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), also registered wins in prominent institutions, including Ravenshaw University and Rama Devi Women’s University.
The electoral outcome indicated that support among student voters remained divided, prompting political parties to intensify their efforts to consolidate their influence among the younger generation.
Through ‘Yuva Samvad’, the BJP aims to translate its outreach among young voters into stronger organisational support. However, the campaign’s effectiveness will largely depend on how meaningfully it addresses concerns relating to employment, education, skill development and the future aspirations of the youth.
