Telangana CM Revanth Reddy bats for lowering Assembly poll contesting age to 21

Hyderabad, Aug 25 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday said that when people at the age of 21 are eligible to become IAS and IPS officers, they should also be allowed to contest Assembly polls at that age.

Addressing a gathering at Osmania University after inaugurating newly constructed hostels and laying foundation stones for various buildings, Reddy alleged that by creating images of AI, a malicious campaign was unleashed that there were lions and elephants in the Hyderabad varsity.

"People at the age of 21 years become IAS and IPS officers and are administrating as district officials. Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar gave us the Constitution providing voting rights for people who completed 21 years of age.

"Today I request you to think and take it up as a programme. When the voting age was reduced to 18 years by former PM Rajiv Gandhi, when IAS and APS officers were working at the age of 21 years, why can't people be elected to the Assembly at the age of 21? This country needs young leadership," the CM said.

The age to contest in Assembly polls remains 25 at now.

Reddy said Telangana’s 65 per cent of the population is between 21 and 35 years of age which is an asset to the nation.

Asserting that coffers in Telangana have become dry and there is no land available with the government to sell and raise funds, the CM said the state government is still committed to providing quality education.

Speaking about the glory of Osmania University, Reddy said the institution holds the distinction of having produced countless intellectuals. When political leaders gave up the separate Telangana movement for their own interests, it was Osmania University that carried the stir forward, fulfilling the dream of a new state, he said.

During the previous BRS regime there was a conspiracy to weaken Osmania University, he said, and vowed to restore the OU’s lost glory.

Reddy said the state government is determined to fulfil one lakh government job vacancies within two and a half years of the Congress rule.

According to him, the statistics provided by the central government indicate that Telangana is the first state with the lowest inflation in the country at 1.5 per cent.

Reddy asserted that Prof M Kodandaram, whose MLC post was stripped of following a Supreme Court’s judgment, will be sent to the legislature once again shortly.

Earlier this month, the apex court annulled the nominations of Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan as MLCs under the Governor’s quota. PTI GDK KH