Urge for political stability, strong leadership overshadow other issues
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 11: Feeling excited, the first time voters exercised their franchise with a vision and mission to see largest democracy of the world as an economic and military power on earth in the coming days as polling was held today on Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary Constituency along with 90 other seats in first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
“Political stability and a strong leadership with capacity to take bold decisions in interest of the nation are must for making India powerful and today I voted for the same,” said Nikhilesh, a college student and first time voter, while coming out of Polling Station number 105, Ploura-J, this morning.
Interestingly, an urge for strong India was more prevalent than good jobs among these first time voters, who opined that employment avenues and peaceful environment would be automatically there once India becomes economically and militarily strong. “How can we expect good jobs if we are not secured from external and internal enemies, who are hell bent to bleed India,” said another first time voter Inderpreet Singh at Vijaypur.
Siddharth Koushal, a student pursing Graduation in ISM, was also visibly upbeat on casting his vote for the first time at Polling Station number 103 in Roop Nagar Jammu. “Casting my vote gave me a feeling like I have done something positive for strengthening my country,” he said and stressed that each one should exercise this democratic right for adding strength to the nation.
Aditi Khajuria of Channi Himmat and Vijyesh of Karan Nagar, who have completed Engineering in IT, were of the view that irrespective of party or candidate, casting vote was more important and one must not skip this opportunity, which empowers people to participate in formation of the Government and change the narrative for a better tomorrow.
However, Akash missed this opportunity even as he had come home especially from his college in Punjab to cast vote for the first time. He was disappointed on not finding his name in the voter list. “Though the BLO had not delivered my voter number at home, I was confident that my name would be in the list but the same was missing,” he lamented while accompanying his elder brother Nitish outside Polling Station number 75 at Chand Nagar Jammu.
Outside Polling Station number 41, situated in a private school at Ploura Jammu, another first time voter Avni told the Excelsior that she had exercised her franchise according to her conscience even as she knew little about the candidates in the fray. “We need a stable and strong Government at the Centre and hung verdict would only weaken the country. That is why I have voted for the PM instead of MP,” she explained while justifying her view point.
Some other youngsters like Akhil, Tahir, Amanpreet and Abdul Karim opined that the political representatives, we elect, should also work on ground level for development and improving the employment scenario, which they usually skip during their tenure as MP or MLA and thereafter evoke emotional issues at the time of elections.
Reports from outskirts of Jammu and border areas also said that excitement among youth, particularly the first-time voters at the polling stations was visible even as majority of them were disappointed with the local leadership. These youngsters also emphasized that they want upcoming lawmakers to focus on developmental issues.
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