Gen Z is the first constituency defined by mindset, not identity, says political strategist Naresh Arora

The generation that came out in large numbers during the recent protests at Jantar Mantar can be viewed as India’s first political constituency defined by a common mindset rather than caste, religion or ideology, political strategist Naresh Arora said on Sunday (August 2, 2026).

Speaking at a webinar hosted by The Hindu on whether Gen Z is the new driving force in politics, Mr. Arora, who has worked on the Congress party’s election campaigns and advised the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by the late Ajit Pawar, said young voters consume information differently and are less loyal to political parties than they are to issues.

“Gen Z is the first generation that should be treated as a constituency based on mindset rather than identity,” Mr. Arora said, adding, “They can support you on one issue today and oppose you tomorrow without feeling contradictory.”

According to him, political parties would be making a mistake if they viewed Gen Z merely as first-time voters. “They are the first generation that expects politics to function with the responsiveness of a digital platform,” he said.

Referring to the mobilisation around the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Mr. Arora said its appeal lay less in the organisation than in what it symbolised. “It became a vessel for accumulated frustration. The paper leak was only the spark,” he said.

Mr. Arora argued that the movement resonated because many young Indians view institutional failures as moral questions rather than administrative lapses. “At 20, corruption is not seen as a practical inconvenience. It is seen as a moral failure,” he said.

The protests drew strength from being “decentralised and leaderless”, Mr. Arora said, allowing participants to rally around a cause rather than a political organisation.

He cautioned both the government and the Opposition against drawing simplistic conclusions from the protests. “The government should not assume this is only about one examination. It is about trust,” he said.

Mr. Arora also warned the Opposition against treating public anger as an automatic electoral dividend. “Gen Z is testing the entire political class. The party that wins this generation will be the one that convinces young Indians that hard work will once again be rewarded fairly,” he said.