'Whom should I vote for?' is the question on everyone's mind as India gears up for one of the biggest elections in history.
Around 820 million people will exercise their right to vote in the upcoming general elections. Of these, 84 million people, including 15 million aged 18-19, will vote for the first time. What will be the choice of these voters? Will it be based on party manifestos or on the promises made and delivered in the past?
We spoke to a few excited as well as confused first-time voters in Chennai to know on what basis they will make their choices.
One of the major concerns raised by first-time voters was the growing incidents of rape in the country, which has put the safety of women at risk. Will the new government address the issue better, wonders Rochana, who wants a stricter law in force for crimes against women. She believes better sex education, which is not a part of the manifestos of any party, could be a potential remedy.
Surprisingly, even concerns about animals seem to be a point of discussion among millennials. Recalling recent incidents, including the abuse of puppies by a man in Chennai, they say that even animals don't live in a safe environment.
Niranjana, who is still undecided, cited the public transport service hike as a concern, apart from women's safety issues. Sai Prashanthi believes the parliamentary elections wouldn't make much of a difference in the state whereas Swathi counts her vote important as she wants her representative to voice issues of concern for Tamil Nadu voters in the lower house with clarity.
Stand-up comedian Guru Nicketan, who is also an excited first-time voter, is yet to make up his mind for D-day. But he believes that the decision should be based on the track record of the party. "I will definitely take the alignment of my viewpoints with the contestants into consideration, along with what they have mentioned in their manifestos. Any party that promises to build a society that's more equal and liberal than what we have today is someone I could potentially vote for," he says.
But how can someone ensure that they've made a wise choice? Deputy Editor of YourStory Induja Ragunathan, who thinks social media has made young voters more aware about politics, shares a piece of advice for them.
She suggests that voters study the candidates rather than make their choice based on the party they belong to. "Youngsters think media is manipulated but they need to read more newspapers to understand real politics and facts," she says. She also wants the youth to not blindly go by the opinion of social media influencers or their parents but analyse and act on their own.
Also, many youngsters are of the opinion that Lok Sabha elections are no big deal for the state. Addressing this, she says, "They've not understood the values of the Constitution. Tamil Nadu plays a major role in national politics. NEET and jallikattu became huge issues because of the state's presence in Parliament."
She's also of the view that the third front would not be a popular option in this election. Encouraging students to participate in political debates in college campuses will bring in more awareness, she says.
"Chennai had the least voter turnout in Assembly elections. Rather than just being keyboard warriors, one needs to come out and vote. Don't follow your family's choice. Think for your future and vote wisely," she adds.
Activist Jayaram Venkatesan, co-founder of Arappor Iyakkam, asks first-time voters to know their candidates and read about their criminal records. Vote for candidates, not for parties, he asserts.
Jayaram wants voters to avoid voting for personality cult kind of politics and choose someone who understands the issues of people better and protects their rights. "Every young voter has a responsibility as a citizen. Therefore to ensure that, you need to research and look at the right kind of candidate to represent you. Do your duty and ask the right questions to the representatives," he concludes.