VADODARA, Sept 5: As Vadodara recorded one of the lowest polling percentage in the last few elections, the city's poor and middle class remained divided on the issue that should drive the elections: local or national? Express Newsline spoke to people of various economic strata from different parts of the city to gather their idea of the most important election issue and what have they had in mind while voting.Maljibhai Viras of Ramapirni Chali, who voted late after earning his bread, said he had given priority to solving of local problems. ``We are not directly concerned with national issues,'' he said.A resident of Tulsiwadi, Sulemanbhai Shaikh lauded the victory of jawans over foreign intruders in Kashmir, saying he had also contributed a day's salary towards the Kargil crisis. ``Frankly speaking, the larri-galla owners are an affected lot due to harassment by local authorities,'' he said, recalling it was not so during Congress' stay in power. At that time there was no problem for liquor business also, he pointed out. While Shaikh's wife Akhtarbanu said the local BJP had not even given them pipeline water, 12-year-old son Sajid said in their area it was Congress all the way. ``For us what is important is that our problems should be solved,'' said Bhikubhai Chudasama of Indiranagar.There were many like Nanu Bhikha Chudasama, who felt national issues were important, but one has to see local ones first.A hardcore BJP supporter, Hemant Patel of Paras Society said people from lower economic stratum link local and national issues. ``The MP has nothing to do with local issues,'' he said, adding that the Kargil success would certainly benefit the BJP. It is Vajpayee who led the jawans,'' he remarked.A resident of Warasia, Kamlesh Chhugani said it is important how India tackled international issues. ``National issues are policy matters but here what we want is local civic development. Poll promises are usually not fulfiled,'' said S K Agrawal. A retired manager from Petrofils, he lamented that neither of the two big parties were interested in getting his company out of severe financial crisis.Kargil certainly influences, said Bimrao Pingle of Karelibaug. Almost similar was the reaction of S G Kashyap, an IPCL employee. He, however, added that people were not interested in voting due to the frequency of elections.Amid all this, there were a few like Ashok Mali, a flowerseller, who have voted to usher in change. But as a BJP supporter remarked, local issues have only ``a little bit effect on national elections''.
