21-year-old Arya Rajendran will be the next Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, making her the youngest ever in the country to occupy the post. The ruling CPI (M) in it’s twitter handle said that she will be the youngest mayor of a major city in the world. It is learnt that in addition to fielding Rajendran as it’s mayoral candidate, the LDF fielded four women, in the age group of 21-13 as it’s candidates for the post of presidents of four gram panchayats in the state.
Indeed the government in Kerala has shown the way on how to pass the baton of governance at the grass-root level of democracy onto generation-next. Youth are the future leaders of the country and the right time to get them involved in the working of the government at various levels is now. The politicians belonging to the older generation should give way to young blood.
Political parties across the country need to follow in the footsteps of the LDF party in Kerala and introduce young blood in the party. There should be a second line of leadership in any political party which needs to be trained to take up the party challenges in future.
ADELMO FERNANDES, Vasco
