Maha polls: Students use rap songs and hold rallies to educate voters

While members of political parties are busy campaigning for their candidates, students of city colleges are keen to use this time to reach out to their classmates

While members of political parties are busy campaigning for their candidates, students of city colleges are keen to use this time to reach out to their classmates and people in the neighbourhood to get them to vote in the Maharashtra Assembly elections on October 21.

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From holding voter registration drives; demonstrations of electronic voting machines (EVM) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT); updating voters about candidates in their constituency; and holding rallies and signature campaigns, students are striving to create awareness.

Chaitanya Prabhu, a law student from the University of Mumbai (MU), went around colleges in the city, speaking to students about the importance of the elections. She also shared a voter manual and candidate list.

“I created a portal around six months back called ‘Mark Your Presence’, which acts as a one-stop portal for election-related questions,” said Prabhu. He is now working on a rap song about the importance of voting.

Tanmay Naik, an FYBSC student of RD National College, Bandra, along with 30 friends from the National Service Scheme (NSS) held a rally, while Sachi Thawrani, an SYBA student from Mithibai College, Vile Parle, along with her friend, convinced around 50 of her fellow-students to register to vote. “Most of them now have a registration number and will be able to cast their vote on Monday,” said Thawrani.