Patna, Aug. 1: It is going to be a grand finale in the run-up to the state Youth Congress presidential elections in Bihar.

One of the most sweeping changes AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi wants to usher in is to get youths take part in active politics in India.

Yet, the scenario in Patna suggests that the candidates are going all-out to woo delegates to cast votes in their favour.

At present, pandals are coming up on the premises of Gates Public Library to feed the delegates. It has been organised by Lallan Kumar Yadav, one of the 12 candidates running for the post.

“The possibility of becoming a Youth Congress office-bearer and subsequently, a potential Assembly contestant, is like a miracle,” said Lallan Kumar Yadav, one of the hopefuls for the state Youth Congress president.

“The Congress had contested only 54 seats in the last Assembly election. We expect to give nearly 60 per cent seats for Rahulji this time,” said another Youth Congress member, who came to take part in the state Youth Congress presidential election.

With the Assembly election round the corner, the Bihar-based parties and leaders are going all-out to woo voters but the Congress is eyeing youths this time.

To galvanise the party in Bihar, in early-January this year, Rahul Gandhi went on a membership drive to Champaran, Patna, Rohtas, Gaya, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnia, Kishanganj, Madhubani and Darbhanga.

His message was simple: “Enrol as members and get elected at the panchayat and the ward levels. You could contest the Assembly election if you win the Youth Congress polls. He told youngsters that the Congress would not neglect candidates.”

He had also added that he would not let strangers or “nominated” candidates contest. He said it was up to the youngsters to become leaders.

The election for the state Youth Congress president would be held at GSC ground, Gardanibagh, on August 3. Candidates are well prepared and waiting for Rahul Gandhi to attend the election (whether he will come or not is yet to be confirmed).

“The Bihar Youth Congress has inducted members in the age group of 18-35 years to bolster the party ahead of the Assembly elections,” said a Youth Congress member.

He added that the idea behind the membership was to give a chance to the local, educated youth leaders to take part in the task of nation-building.

The equation is that more members a person enrols, the greater are his chances of winning the Youth Congress elections. Unlike in the past, various systems are being put in place to prevent bogus membership.

This reduces the chances of winning by proxy votes. The Youth Congress electoral college issues double bar codes (one on the application and another on the receipt for Rs 15) to ensure that membership drives are not fudged.

The state election is crucial and will be an early indicator of political trends.

Rahul Gandhi is continuing his Youth Congress experiment in the belief that if the Congress progresses in Bihar, the ripple effect will spread to Uttar Pradesh, where the Assembly poll is due in 2012.