Youthful approach, not age, key to youth connect: BJP's BL Santhosh

New Delhi: BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh has underlined the importance of "youthfulness and youthful approach" in connecting with the younger generation, saying leaders do not necessarily have to be young to engage with the youth.

He linked this approach to BJP's effort to "reinvent" itself while retaining its ideological and organisational moorings.

Santhosh's remarks assume significance as they come against the backdrop of the Gen Z-led protests, including the agitation that led to former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. He is the key organisational link between BJP and its ideological mentor, RSS.


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"It doesn't mean the person who connects with the youth should necessarily be a youth; he should have youthfulness and be youthful in his approach," Santhosh said in an interview to RSS-linked weekly 'Organiser', citing Modi and other senior leaders as examples.

Santhosh said the connect between grandparents and grandchildren was often stronger in Indian families than that between parents and children. He said it requires 30-40 years of hard work in BJP to come to the national stage, unlike other parties where nepotism can propel leaders to the national stage when they are in their 20s or early 30s.

Referring to Modi's interaction with BJP's newly appointed organisational team in August, Santhosh said the party's approach was to evolve without diluting its core. "The party has to reinvent itself without losing its ideological and organisational texture."

"We are not now a party in the opposition; we are a party in governance. We are working on ensuring governance in multiple ways and hopeful to see results in the coming years," he added. He linked the induction of leaders from outside BJP to this effort, saying organic growth alone may not always be enough.

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While newcomers may initially have lesser ideological affinity, Santhosh said training was helping them adopt BJP's ideology and working style. He said the party was focused on the "aspirational young", including Indians returning from abroad.