Delhi election: First-timer voters come out in force seeking change

New Delhi: The much-talked about Delhi elections that took place yesterday saw a large number of young voters turning out at polling booths, with many of them being first-timers. 19-year-old Neha Thapa, a college student from New Delhi constituency, who was a little nervous at her first shot at exercising her franchise, hoped the elections will bring change. “I am little nervous but also happy that it is the first time I will get my finger inked and join the electoral masses. Security is an important issue for all of us. But, corruption and inflation are also issues which are plaguing our country,” an excited Thapa said, standing in a voting queue. Siblings Reetika (25) and Sangeeta (24) in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar also exuded similar excitement, being the first-timers but said, “They were not much aware of the NOTA (non of the above) option.” [caption id=“attachment_1267657” align=“alignright” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] “Parking and traffic are major concern in our area, as number of vehicles keep increasing, but no steps have been taken to resolve the issue, so far,” the sisters said. Young Avneet Kaur, from the same area, asked “why no multi-level parking has been made here, unlike in other parts of Delhi”. On her voting impulse, she said, “I’m inclined to vote for a new party”. For Mahima and Gopika in Greater Kailash, seeing the “infamous BRT Corridor” being dismantled would be greatest post-election relief. “I take this corridor every day en route to my college and I can tell you it’s horrible. I would like to see it dismantled, by whichever party,” Gopika said. Talking about issues in her colony, Mahima said, “It may be a posh area where people might think law and order is not a problem. But, some anti-social elements create nuisance after dark. And, drugs and traffic are another concern”. Differently-abled Manoj (24), who came to the booth with crutches at Tughlaqabad’s Indira Camp, had a tough time locating his name for a polling station. “My name is there but I can’t locate my polling station. But, this time I really wish the elections throws a change…hum bhi aam aadmi hain aur aam aadmi ke liye koi nahin sochta hai aaj (We are also common man and no one thinks for common man today),” he said. While the elections passed off peacefully, for Delhi University students, Ravi Kant Sharma (27) and Rakesh Sharma, the election left a bitter taste in their mouth as they alleged that they were “roughed up” by some locals for “wearing Gandhi topis (caps)”. “We had just put up a stall and were wearing plain Gandhi caps. But, few locals came to us and manhandled us telling us that, we were violating code of conduct by wearing those caps,” Ravi Kant Sharma said. ACP Parliament Street Anvesh Roy said, “A minor scuffle broke out between some AAP supporters and locals. But, the matter was sorted out after we intervened. We told the locals that wearing Gandhi caps without party symbol was no violation.” PTI