‘I think the AAP needs to be given a second chance.’
‘I believe AAP is weak on implementation while the BJP has the experience and can deliver.’
On Saturday, the nation’s capital will go to polls to decide a government after the Arvind Kejriwal government quit after 49 days in power back in 2013.
Young, first time voters are eager to cast their ballot and decide a new government. Two days before they get inked, Upasna Pandey/Rediff.com goes out on to the streets, to gauge the mood of youngistan.
Vaibhav Ahuja, 21, a second year BCom student from Hansraj College said that he isn't really interested in the political humdrum. “In the 2013 elections, I went with my friends and opted for the none of the above option, as I wasn’t convinced about any party. However, several of my friends voted for the AAP. I may vote for AAP this time around.
And while he insists that he isn’t too attuned to the political happenings, he adds that Kejriwal has taken many positive steps, including curbing corruption and reducing electricity bills.
“I think the AAP needs to be given a second chance. Additionally, I am curious to see how Narendra Modi as prime minister and Arvind Kejriwal as chief minister would work for Delhi.”
Vaibhav further adds, “Kejriwal has been an IITian and a bureaucrat and he could have easily made lots of money if he wanted but I believe he has chosen to get into politics as he wants to do some good work for the country.”
Talking about the ongoing election campaigns of various political parties, Vaibhav appears agitated.
“The radio advertisments of all the parties are quite annoying after a point. There is also so much unnecessary noise on the roads by campaigners, they cause traffic snarls and disturb residents with the use of loudspeakers. I find all political parties equally guilty on this count. They could easily do their campaigning in an orderly manner,” he complains.
Abhishek, 29, a resident of Laxmi Nagar, will be voting for the first time on February 7, as he was studying abroad. “I was quite impressed with the AAP when it came into existence in 2013.
Abhishek says that AAP’s promise of clean politics helped him to switch from being a BJP loyalist to a strong AAP supporter.
“I try to save on everything, but I donated Rs 1,000 to the AAP. When Arvind Kejriwal resigned as the chief minister, I was so disheartened that I wrote to the party about it. A few days later, I received a reply from the party outlining their reasons to quit. I was surprised and pleased that they take each supporter’s view seriously and respond to our queries,” Abhishek added.
For full coverage on the Delhi polls, click HERE
However, when it comes to election campaigning, Abhishek says he is disenchanted by all political parties. “Everyone is crossing all limits of civil behaviour, using inappropriate language. I don’t think voters are interested in this.”
Listing out his expectations from the AAP, he says, “The traffic jams are a big nuisance, which needs to be streamlined. I also hope that the new government would focus on setting up more schools with all facilities across the city.”
Shivanshi, 18, from Maharaja Agrasen College is excited about political developments in the Capital. “I believe that Delhi can deliver on their promises if they come to power. I believe AAP is weak on implementation while BJP has the experience and can deliver.”
The 18-year-old has also been following the recent BJP media campaign which lampoons Kejriwal. “I am quite upset with the quality of campaigns this time by all political parties. Even AAP volunteers stand near metro stations; they shout and create commotion which is quite irritating,” she adds.
Vidhu, another first time voter, from Delhi University, insists that it is obvious that BJP is focusing more on publicity and `tamasha’ than AAP, which is being favoured by Delhiites this time around. “I think AAP has stronger chances of forming the government as they have shown a record of making positive changes in Delhi.”
Vaibhav Verma, a mass communication student from Indraprastha University, is also placing his bets on the BJP and PM Modi’s vision. “I have performed in streets plays at the BJP office. I played the role of Modi and it was quite an interesting experience. I am impressed with his style and command over the party and government. On the other hand, I find AAP to be quite immature and inexperienced in politics,” he says.
Vaibhav says he was a supporter of the AAP in 2013, but their decision to quit just 49 days into power was disheartening. He says that Congress has failed to deliver for a long stretch of 15 years of power in Delhi and the party’s image is marred with allegations of corruption and other scandals. So, it may be a while before the Congress becomes a serious player in Delhi.
When asked if politics was a career option for him, he said, “It’s a no no for me as I don’t want to dirty myself with the kind of campaign which is presently going on.”
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