Kharge and Rahul hold meet to spur Congress’ youth spearhead

Top Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, interacted on Thursday (October 15, 2026) with members of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Indian Youth Congress (IYC), and the Seva Dal to commend them for their aggressive participation in protests demanding the ouster of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The meeting held at the party’s Indira Bhawan headquarters, was also attended by general secretary, (organisation) K. C. Venugopal, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The pep talk by the Congress leadership addressed concerns within a section of the party that while Mr. Gandhi had showcased student leaders like All India Students’ Association President Neha Bora, the NSUI and Youth Congress activists had not received similar encouragement or visibility.

“India’s youth have always been at the forefront of shaping our nation’s political direction. Today, at Indira Bhavan, New Delhi, we had an insightful interaction with leaders of NSUI, IYC, and Seva Dal, who have courageously challenged the Modi Government’s authoritarianism, even while enduring brutal police crackdowns,” Mr. Kharge said in a post on X which included pictures of the meeting.

“Our youth and frontal organisations remain steadfast in holding this anti-youth government accountable, defending democratic rights, and safeguarding the credibility of our institutions. Their courage and conviction strengthen our collective resolve to protect India’s democracy,” he added.

Mr. Venugopal referred to the NSUI, IYC, and Seva Dal members as “the life and soul of our party who put everything on the line and fought against this fascist regime”.

“As Rahul ji has said, these Babbar Shers are leading the fight to defeat this regime and their fearlessness is an inspiration for many,” he added.

Closed door meet

A closed-door meet was held in which the party leadership asked student members to share their experiences. Mr. Gandhi praised their “brave resistance in the face of harsh police action”.

They lauded the youth leaders for holding the government accountable while highlighting the travails of all Indians, especially the youth.

“Rahul ji told us that democratic and peaceful protest is the right of every citizen and repeated his theme daro mat (don’t fear) to encourage us,” one of the participants told The Hindu.

Referring to defectors, Mr. Gandhi said they left the party either out of fear or because of allurements.

He expressed his appreciation for Congress workers who cleaned up the trash at the Jantar Mantar after protests over paper leaks ended in July.

NSUI president Vinod Jakhar, Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib, and Seva Dal chief organiser B. V. Srinivas, were present along with NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar, and Youth Congress in-charge Manish Sharma.