BJP brainstorming on Gen Z outreach concludes cohort is not ‘homogenous’

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The meeting under the youth outreach initiative was headed by BJP National President Nitin Nabin in New Delhi. File | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

BJP National President Nitin Nabin’s brainstorming session on Saturday (August 29, 2026) on the shape of the party’s engagement with the Gen Z included suggestions to abandon the term altogether and simply refer to the cohort as the “youth”, as well as initiating a simultaneous outreach to the party’s older voters.

The meeting in New Delhi, under a youth outreach initiative headed by Mr. Nabin, was attended by around 45 young leaders with party general secretary Smriti Irani and Chattisgarh Minister O.P. Choudhary as Committee members.

According to sources, participants were invited to share their views on how the party could improve dialogue and participation among young people.

Several attendees argued that it would be incorrect to treat all young people as a homogenous, single category, stressing that different groups of youth have distinct aspirations and concerns.

Sources said some participants suggested avoiding the term “Gen Z” and instead using the broader term “youth” or references to specific age groups.

The “horizontal solidarity” among the age cohort witnessed during the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) led protests over the NEET exam paper ‘leak’ was one thing, said an attendee, but that did not mean that all young people shared the same life experiences or even aspirations. “Young people in Tier two cities and villages will have different ideas about life, their opportunities and what they think on various issues,” they said, advocating for a graded engagement with different kinds of youngsters.

A number of participants underlined the need for differentiated engagement strategies and communication methods for various categories of young people.

One participant noted that while greater engagement with youth is essential, the party must take care that older supporters and long-time party backers do not feel neglected or sidelined. Another suggested that energising the party’s veteran workers is just as important as expanding outreach among youth, and that efforts should also be made to strengthen cadres’ confidence in the leadership.

The 45 participants in the meeting have reportedly been divided into five or six groups. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Chhattisgarh Minister O.P. Choudhary are among those tasked with leading the groups. Participants have been asked to send their suggestions to their respective team leaders, who will compile them for further consideration.

All participants have been asked to submit their recommendations within the next seven to eight days, and preferably before September 10, so that the suggestions can be consolidated.

According to sources, the recommendations gathered from these 45 leaders will be considered for implementation in future party programmes.