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First-timers say they chose priorities over promises
New Delhi: For Delhi’s debutant voters, issues such as education, women’s safety and infrastructure development decided their choice on Saturday.
New Delhi: For Delhi’s debutant voters, issues such as education, women’s safety and infrastructure development decided their choice on Saturday.
Among the thousands of new and first-time voters were the sons and daughters of senior political leaders. Those who garnered the clicks included chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s son Pulkit Kejriwal; Congress leader Ajay Maken’s son Aujasvi Maken; and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s son Raihan Raijiv Vadra. All of them were exercising their franchise for the first time.
Cautious not to reveal his vote, Raihan said having lived his entire life in Delhi, his mandate was “for the people”.
“I would like to see my city developed so that it can stand with the best cities of the world. My vote is for Delhi, for the people,” 18-year-old Raihan, who came to vote with his mother Priyanka, said.
Former Congress MP Maken tweeted that his son, Aujasvi, was “super excited” to be voting for the first time.
For 19-year-old Vihaan Singh, a resident of south Delhi’s Chhatarpur, a broken leg was no reason to stay home. His leg in a plaster cast, Singh made sure he reached the booth to vote on Saturday, two weeks after he fractured it during a cricket match.
“This was my first vote and how could I have missed it? It was unfortunate that this accident happened but that’s no reason to miss the elections,” he said.
Rohaan Khan, 18, a resident of Ajmeri Gate, said he voted for better education and employment facilities in Delhi.
“Education and employment are the most important issues for the youth. I have voted for the party that has already delivered so many promises. I am hoping we will soon get some new colleges in Delhi,” Khan said.
Many first-timers said they “carefully analysed” the promises made by each of the contesting parties before making their choice.
Palak Malhotra, a first-time voter at east Delhi’s Vishwas Nagar, was worried about women safety.
“We have had two very horrible incidents in the past—the December 16 gang rape and the Hyderabad gang rape and murder. My parents, particularly my mother, are always worried about my safety and keep asking for my location whenever I step out from home . I want to see the next government do something about this, so that girls can go about freely,” she said.
For some, local issues helped decide their vote.
Srijan Vaish, a student of Delhi University, said the issues of development, including better supply of water and electricity, are the most important. “Access to basic facilities is most important. The quality of education, too, matters,” Vaish said.
