First-time voters quiz candidates on purpose of contesting elections

Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh/Payal, February 10

Seeking votes is no cakewalk for candidates of various parties in this region of Malwa. Contrary to earlier trends, when party workers used to ask for support for their respective candidates, now voters seek answers to their queries regarding purpose, vision and programme of contestants in person.

Party flags, pamphlets and posters highlighting achievements of various parties and freebies have almost failed to serve any purpose other than defacing walls of private properties. While elderly candidates are feeling embarrassed on being confronted by young and educated voters on various issues, the new generation, qualified and talented candidates has got an opportunity to project their ideas and get the subject matter for their public speeches too.

Sukhwant Singh Tillu, the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha nominee from Khanna, said, “Many educated youths have joined his team of supporters after being satisfied about the agenda of the party and my own vision.”

“Initially we thought that they (voters) are asking questions on the instance of other candidates. Later, it emerged that they were genuinely interested in choosing deserving candidates,” Tillu said while maintaining that his campaign had received a boost with the induction of such persons.

Smit Singh Mann, the Congress nominees from Amargarh too, appreciated the trend of being asked questions by youngsters, predominantly first-time voters. “It was during my encounters with first-time voters, mostly educated, that I got an opportunity to divulge details of my vision about changes to be brought in the existing system of governance, besides my contribution in preparation of Navjot Sidhu’s Punjab Model, which our CM face Charanjit Singh Channi has promised to implement after constitution of the next government,” said Mann.

Regretting that she had misunderstood some cards given by supporters of a candidate as sanction letters for receiving regular financial help after elections, Sukhwinder Kaur, of Sukhdev Singh Nagar, Ahmedgarh, said, “I threw away the ‘sanction letter’ after I listened to an argument between voter and a candidate.”

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