"Vote Haakebeku". No, this is not the slogan of a voting campaign, but the words of a song being widely shared on WhatsApp groups in Bengaluru.

Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, a group of committed citizens has come together to pen a song to encourage more people to be a part of a positive change by exercising their right to vote.

The song has been written by Padmanabha Arkalgud, an 81-year-old social activist and the founder president of Citizens Forum, Yelahanka New Town. 

The lyrics 

The song starts off as "Votealli hodibeku, yochasi matava needabeku" (Hit with your vote, think and cast your vote), and throws light on the power of a vote. "A vote cast in favour of the right candidate can change the face of a constituency and the country at large. The song aims to make people realise the power of their vote," said Lohit B N, a member of Let’s Be The Change, a non-profit organisation that has created the video.

Composition  

The song has been sung by Arun Kumar and Devaramallur Mahesh Kumar, while the music was composed by Punyesh, music director and founder of the Kalabhrama Music Academy.

"We want more people to come forward and vote and this song is our contribution to the society at large.

"We have already been flooded with a lot of positive responses from people who watched the song on WhatsApp and YouTube," Arkalgud added.