Dharmendra Singh Bhadauria20 minutes ago
With Assembly elections due next year in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Goa, political parties are increasingly turning their attention to a voter group that could play a decisive role: Gen Z.
Two developments have fuelled this shift. The first was the Gen Z-led movement in Delhi in July, which altered the political conversation around young voters. The second was the surprise outcome of the Bankipur by-election in Bihar and the Datia by-election in Madhya Pradesh, which has prompted parties to reassess the influence of younger voters.
Political analysts now believe that, much like women, backward classes, farmers and Dalits have emerged as distinct electoral constituencies, GenZ could become a new political category.
Across the seven poll-bound states, around 22% of voters are estimated to be Gen Z those aged between 18 and 29.
A 5% swing could change the electoral map
The numbers make the potential impact of this voting bloc even more significant. In the last Assembly elections, the seven states together accounted for 940 seats of which 257 seats around 27% were won by a margin of 5% or less.
This means that even if just 5% of the 22% Gen Z electorate were to vote cohesively in favour of one party, the impact could be substantial enough to alter electoral equations in several constituencies.
The margin was particularly narrow across a large number of seats in Uttar Pradesh. Of the state’s 403 Assembly constituencies, 131 were decided by a margin of less than 5%. The corresponding figures were 27 of 182 seats in Gujarat, 24 of 117 in Punjab, 15 of 70 in Uttarakhand and 14 of 68 in Himachal Pradesh.
With such a large proportion of seats potentially vulnerable to relatively small swings in voting patterns, political parties have begun building strategies around Gen Z. The BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party have already started outreach efforts aimed at younger voters.
‘Gen Z could disrupt caste and religious equations’
Election analyst Prof Sanjay Kumar and political analyst Yashwant Deshmukh, in their assessment for Bhaskar Expert, said the emergence of a distinct youth sentiment could disrupt long-standing caste and religious calculations.
However, they cautioned that the elections are still six to seven months away, making it too early to determine whether the current sentiment will persist. If the sentiment remains strong or gains momentum, the analysts believe political parties could be forced to make five major changes in their electoral strategies.
1. Youth-focused politics will take centre stage
Young voters are likely to become a much more prominent part of political campaigns. Until now, youth-related issues have largely appeared in party manifestos. Going forward, employment and skill development are expected to feature directly in campaign speeches and political messaging.
Parties may find it increasingly difficult to rely simply on promises of unemployment allowances. Instead, they will have to explain how they intend to create jobs and expand opportunities for skill development.
According to the analysts, parties that offer credible plans on employment, education, digital infrastructure and skills could have an advantage among younger voters.
2. Caste and religious equations could weaken
If the current Gen Z sentiment continues, traditional caste and religious calculations could face disruption. Young voters have also historically been influenced by caste and religious identities, but analysts say signs of change are becoming visible.
Caste identity is unlikely to disappear altogether, but its influence could become less decisive in candidate selection and representation. Political parties may increasingly consider self-made young candidates to give Gen Z greater representation in electoral politics.
3. Gen Z could follow the women’s voting pattern
The analysts compare the potential shift among young voters with the way women voters have at times cut across traditional caste equations and supported the NDA.
If Gen Z develops a similar collective voting preference, it could become a powerful electoral bloc capable of moving towards one political formation.
4. Freebies may lose their appeal
Young voters, analysts argue, may be less interested in traditional welfare giveaways and short-term freebies.
Instead, they are expected to demand concrete solutions to employment, education and career-related problems.
5. Parties will have to make practical promises
Political parties could increasingly move towards realistic and implementable promises, rather than broad populist commitments.
How parties are preparing for the Gen Z vote
The political response is already visible, with parties and affiliated organisations stepping up direct engagement with young voters.
BJP: Modi, leaders turn towards Instagram and youth outreach
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have increasingly turned to Instagram and other digital platforms to engage younger audiences.
An NDA MPs’ ‘Mangal Milan’ meeting chaired by Modi was heavily focused on youth concerns, including employment, with a presentation made on the subject.
The BJP has also instructed its organisational wings to listen sensitively to Gen Z-related concerns, work towards resolving them and maintain regular contact with the generation.
RSS: Direct engagement with Gen Z and Gen Alpha
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is also expanding its outreach. Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat held a programme with Gen Z and Gen Alpha on Thursday. The organisation has set a target of adding 10,000 new young people every month through its app.
As part of its centenary-year activities, the RSS is also focusing on greater participation from younger people through its Kishore Gan and Tarun Gan shakhas.
ABVP: Target of 80 lakh members
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has set a target of reaching 80 lakh members.
Its outreach is expanding beyond schools and colleges to coaching centres and clubs, while the organisation also plans to establish career guidance centres.
Congress: Legal support and digital outreach
The Congress is also stepping up its engagement with young protesters. Under the supervision of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, party leaders Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani have been in contact with young people involved in the Delhi movement.
The party has created a network of 150 lawyers and plans to use short videos, presentations, podcasts and dialogue programmes such as ‘Students Ki Goonj’ to connect with young voters.
The NSUI and Youth Congress have also launched several programmes targeting younger audiences.
Samajwadi Party: Dimple Yadav to lead youth outreach
The Samajwadi Party has handed responsibility for its Gen Z outreach to MP Dimple Yadav.
She is expected to lead a campaign focused on regular interaction with young voters and programmes on campuses, working through the party’s Yuvjan Sabha and Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha.
