Politics is no longer the refuge or the privilege of the retired and the aged people only. The general notion that the average young Indian is averse or indifferent towards politics is disproved by the recent enthusiasm shown by the youngsters to join politics.The regional parties in Tamil Nadu, like DMK,AIADMK,PMK and the recent political outfits like DMDK and AISMK are all targeting the younger generation, to give a fillip to their parties which are otherwise used to gain momentum or become busy only in the course of a by-election or a general election for the assembly or the Lok Sabaha.
The recent political outfit particularly DMDK is actually giving more importance to the youth wing and as revealed by their significant growth in terms of their base and percentage of votes polled by them in the by-elections, it is clear that the party is having a very good base among the youngsters. In fact, old horses in the party politics of Tamil Nadu like DMK and AIADMK and PMK are also impressed with the growth of DMDK with their base among youngsters.
Therefore, AIADMK, the main opposition party as of now, led by its charismatic leader Jayalalitha, popularly known as ‘Amma’ meaning mother, is targeting the youngsters to give a fillip and an air of dynamism to their party. In order to woo the youngsters towards AIADMK and perhaps from other parties too, a new recruitment drive for the newly formed young women and young men wings (pasarais) of AIADMK is going on for the last two months Youngsters are also very enthusiastic in joining such pasarais.
A recent recruitment drive done by the AIADMK for their pasarais, in Park Town in Chennai, Kovilambakkam, Perumbakkam, Ottiyambakkam of Kanchipuram District shows that there is a new breed of first generation politicians. Though AIADMK functionaries are keen enrolling their own wards in their party, a huge target of 44 lakhs fixed by their party leader Ms.Jayalalitha, forced them to reach out to the youth force, that was hitherto untouched by politics. According to a youngster who recently joined AIADMK, politics is a means to power and social status. Likewise, young women are joining Ilampengal Pasarai, believing that politics will empower women.
When a man or a woman can vote at the age of 18, why don’t they join politics and play a dynamic role in party politics as a youngster?They can also become party functionaries. But the only drawback the young band of politicians have is they cannot contest an assembly seat or a Lok Sabha seat before the age of 25 or become a Rajya Sabha Member before the age of 35.The youngster has to wait until he attains the requisite age so as to contest an election. Till then he has to equip himself with the wherewithals of party politics.