Dharamsala: Lot on young minds, first-timers want their vote do the talking

Raghav Guleria

Dharamsala, May 28

Excitement is palpable among youngsters, who will cast their vote for the first time in the Lok Sabha election and Dharamsala assembly bypoll on June 1. While Dharamsala Assembly has 1,872 first-time voters, Kangra parliamentary constituency has 36,293 voters, who will exercise their franchise for the first time. The state has 1.70 lakh first-time voters, as per the Election Commission data.

First-time voters

Dharamsala Assembly segment

1,872

Kangra Lok Sabha constituency

36,293

Across Himachal Pradesh

1.7 lakh

As the young voters have emerged as a force to reckon with when it comes to influencing the political landscape, political parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo them.

Quality education, better job opportunities and women’s safety are the key issues weighing on the minds of the young voters. The Tribune talked to a cross section of youth, who come to Dharamsala to join academies, become employable and also in search of better job opportunities. Shilpa from Gaggal, a post graduate in science, who spends a lot of time in library at Dharamsala highlighted the lack of concern among successive governments over employment generation. Puja Kumari, who has done her BSc and B.Ed from Dharamsala, wanted the elected representatives to lay emphasis on a better education system.

Another first-time voter, Pankaj, who is working in a private company, said, “The government has become arrogant, constitutional institutions are being misused and the Agniveer scheme is a cruel joke with the youth of the day.”

Opposing the freebie culture, Diksha, a post graduate, advocated for skill-based courses to make the youth employable. She feels that the burden of freebies adversely affects development projects.

Sarika, who hails from Bharmour, vented out her anger at poor facilities at the local government-run library. “There is no provision for drinking water in the library. The ambience is poor to say the least with no concern for sanitation. Above all, the staff here are arrogant.”

Shriya, a student of English (Hons) said, “My vote is for a government that brings better job opportunities and works on women safety.”

Suresh, a student of Central University of Himachal Pradesh, cursed the persent political system as it has ample space for horse trading.