JOIN USWith the city’s polls only a week away, first-time voters are not only enthusiastic to be inked but also eager to choose the right leader. Political parties are trying to woo the first-time voters mostly with the agenda of development.
Around 3.4 lakh of the newly-enrolled voters, who fall between the age group of 18 and 19 years, constitute almost 2.65 per cent of the total electorate.
Rinkesh Yadav, 18, said, “I am planning to look up the details of all the candidates in my area on the internet. I will vote for the contestant who has lived up to his or her promise in the past. Before I make up my mind, I will also rely on what the general public opinion is about that particular candidate.”
For 19-year-old Ankit Sanhotra, a second-year student at Dayal Singh College, bringing in a change is most important.
“We need a leader who can bring in development. What we need at the moment is (Narendra) Modi sarkar. He has performed well in his state and will be able to prove himself at the national level too,” Sanhotra said.
“Neither Rahul (Gandhi) nor (Arvind) Kejriwal is fit to be a national leader,” said the teenager.
His classmate Deepak Rawat, joined in, saying, “Only Modi stands for change and development. I will vote for BJP as our generation needs enhanced job opportunities.”
Twenty-year-old Kusum Rawat, however, feels otherwise.
“BJP and Congress have cried change for many years now. I believe we need someone like Kejriwal, who is educated, has a clean record and also equipped to run a government. He quit the government for a cause he believed in.”
A candidate is more important than the party for 19-year-old Himani Sharma. “We blindly believe in a party and cast our votes. I am worried about casting my vote for a candidate who has a criminal background. So, I am doing a little research before my finger is inked on April 10,” Sharma said.
A student of Zakir Husain College, Marym, 19, feels matters can get worse if young voters experiment with new parties. “I think it is safe to vote for the Congress. All my family members will be voting for this party too.”
The chief electoral office with a non-profit organisation, Young Indians (Yi) Delhi Chapter, interacted with students of Dayal Singh College to inform them about the importance of voting.
Yi is an organisation with an objective of creating a platform for young Indians to realise
the dream of a developed nation.
Encouraging youngsters to engage with “ethical and informed voting”, Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev said, “You, as young citizens, have more at stake. Know your candidate and then vote. To address urban apathy in the electoral fight, we also have the NOTA option this time for voters.”
As the “nation’s strength”, the youth should translate their knowledge and information into votes responsibly, he added. Sportsman Sushil Kumar was also present.