Maiden say in the political system

Having a say in the system is something we all dream of. And with the elections on April 17, many youngsters in the City are waiting excitedly to cast their votes for the first time and make a difference. Some of them share their views and excitement about the elections with Metrolife.

Most youngsters are very conscious about their rights and feel responsible for their decisions. Justin Sunny, a graduate from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, says, “Being a first-time voter, I’m highly excited but that doesn’t blind me from understanding the value of my vote. It will go to the candidate who is capable of reaching out to his prospective constituency members and serving them as a public servant. I will be casting my vote for someone who is impartial and helps retain the secular nature of our country.”

Justin will also analyse each candidate’s probability of winning as he doesn’t want to waste his vote. There are others like Priyanka, who say that instead of deciding on the basis of a party, they will vote for the candidate who has worked the most in their area.

“It’s my responsibility and my right to vote. I have decided which candidate I will be voting for after seeing the work he has done in the last term. He has done a lot of work on parks, roads and even got a hospital constructed in the area,” says Priyanka, a  student of MSc Psychology with Sampurna Montfort College. She says that since this is her first time, she is very excited but is also being careful about making the right choice.

Many youngsters like Amrutha Singh, a student of MS Engineering College, feel that voting is a difficult task since there are different parties to choose from.  “It’s the first time that I will have a say in the political system, contribute to the welfare of the country and choose a leader. It’s been an interesting experience to learn more about each person and I’m looking for someone who will actually prove his worth for the votes he gets,” she says. Amrutha adds that she has been reading up on the candidates on www.myneta.com

There are some who are still deciding on who to vote for. Zaid Aleem, a final-year student of mechanical engineering with MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, says that he is excited and looking forward to making a difference. “Last time I had issues getting my voter’s ID card on time. But I’m still deciding who to vote for,” says Zaid. He further says that he wants to take a wise decision and thus wants to research well and read up on the candidates.

“I have been talking to a couple of friends who are very knowledgable about the political scenario in the City,” he says. Zaid says that one of the main factors he is considering is how much the candidates have promised and delivered in the past elections.

Amongst the excited lot, there are also some who feel that there is no point voting for any particular person since there is no change ever. Harshith Yogendra, a post-graduate student, says that he sees no development or betterment.

“Most of these politicians only come to ask for votes. I’m not very excited about the elections as all these festivities and activities are just before the elections and none of this energy is seen after that. I will be using the option where my vote doesn’t go for any of the candidates,” he sums up.