India's old leaders get hip to the young

Changing electoral demographics a wakeup call to entrenched govt

Scalded by spontaneous anti-rape and corruption protests near the seat of government in New Delhi, India's aging leaders are scrambling to win over an angry and influential young urban population ahead of elections due to be held by early next year.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 80, and Sonia Gandhi, the 66-year-old leader of the ruling Congress party, grappled with terms like "flash mob" and "Twitter" at a brainstorming meeting last weekend that focused on the new generation and growing social media.