Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Bhattacharya Says Gen Z Is Now a Political Constituency
Dipankar Bhattacharya said young people in India are becoming an important political group.
He pointed to protests at Jantar Mantar as evidence that many students and young people are unhappy.
Their concerns include exam problems, paper leaks, recruitment scams and government accountability.
He said these concerns are bigger than just examinations.
Bhattacharya wants opposition parties to work together before several state elections.
He also wants the voting age reduced from 18 to 16.
He believes many 16- and 17-year-olds understand politics well enough to vote.
His party plans to seek an alliance but may contest elections alone if needed.
CPI-ML Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said Gen Z has become a political constituency that governments and opposition parties cannot ignore.
He urged INDIA bloc parties to respond collectively to youth concerns and meet before assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Bhattacharya linked the Jantar Mantar protests to concerns over examination irregularities, paper leaks, recruitment scams, services and government accountability.
He argued that India should lower the voting age from 18 to 16, saying many 16- and 17-year-olds are politically aware.
He said his party prefers contesting upcoming state elections through a broader INDIA bloc arrangement but may contest independently or with the Left.
- Who
- Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of CPI-ML Liberation, and INDIA bloc opposition parties.
- What
- Bhattacharya said Gen Z is an important political constituency, urged opposition coordination and proposed lowering the voting age to 16.
- When
- During an interaction with mediapersons, following the June-July Jantar Mantar protests and ahead of upcoming assembly elections.
- Where
- The remarks concerned India, including Jantar Mantar in the capital and elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
- Why
- He said youth mobilisation reflects concerns about examination irregularities, policy changes, services delivery and government accountability.
- Speaker
- Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of CPI-ML Liberation
- Central claim
- Gen Z has emerged as a political constituency that the government cannot ignore
- Protest referenced
- The Jantar Mantar agitation over alleged examination irregularities and wider youth concerns
- Proposed voting age
- Reduce the voting age from 18 to 16
- Opposition response
- Bhattacharya called for a collective INDIA bloc response and a meeting before upcoming assembly polls
- States mentioned
- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab
- Electoral strategy
- CPI-ML Liberation prefers a broader INDIA bloc arrangement but may contest independently or with the Left