‘Irrespective of whose son or grandson you are, you can be rejected by the voters’

In 2000, Randeep became the chief of the Youth Congress, a post he held for five years. An advocate, he defeated Om Prakash Chautala in the previous state elections.

Conrad Sangma, 30, is the son of former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma, one of the most prominent leaders from the North-East. Conrad is both power and finance minister of Meghalaya. He is a first-time NCP MLA who holds an MBA degree and has studied law.

Manpreet Badal, 46, is the finance minister of Punjab, nephew of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and first cousin of Sukhbir Badal, president of the Akali Dal. The first-time minister and four-time MLA is a history graduate and holds a degree in law.

The three young leaders joined us for an Idea Exchange session moderated by Chandigarh Resident Editor Vipin Pubby.

•Vipin Pubby: Could you begin by telling us a little about yourselves and what it is like to be young ministers in a political scene dominated by elderly politicians?

Manpreet Badal: Whatever else I may be, at heart I am actually just a student of history with a passion for Urdu poetry and Iqbal. After a law degree from England, I decided to come back and join politics. I have been an MLA since 1995 but this is the first time I have become a minister.

Conrad Sangma: After studying in the USA and England, I came back and started to do business mainly in the BPO and call centre sectors. I joined active politics nine years ago, when I was 21 years old. I have already fought two elections. After the Meghalaya state elections this year, we managed to form the Government with other regional parties and I became a minister. I handle five portfolios—finance, power, tourism, information technology and GAD. I am very passionate about creating employment for the youth in my area. We have a lot of talent in music and fashion, with an English-speaking population—we can tap all of that. I am also very passionate about cricket.

As for the younger generation having difficulties adjusting to senior politicians, I think we are quite lucky—young people have considerable opportunity in our Assembly. Out of about 50 MLAs, 10 are below the age of 40. In the Cabinet, five out of 12 ministers are below the age of 40. I am the youngest at 30. More than the mindset of the senior leaders, however, what we have to fight is the system that does not allow our thinking to come to the fore.

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