Jobs, NOTA and a govt open to criticism: How youth in Pune will vote this election

“Decisions like GST and demonetisation were bold moves. A decision-oriented government is what a country like India, which is progressing at a fast pace, requires,” Shruthi Manohar, a second-year graduation student from a city-based college said.

For Mayuri Khade, a final-year post-graduation student at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), the next government must offer the youth more employment opportunities. “Employment generation should be taken up on priority,” she says.

While not ruling out the Grand Alliance of opposition parties completely, several youngsters said they would settle with NOTA (None Of the Above) if the candidates fielded by different parties were not to their liking.

Referring to the ‘Mahagatbandhan’, Varun Maturkar, a first-year graduation student from Fergusson College, who will cast his vote for the first time this year, says: “I see a credible opposition leader in (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee, as she has a strong voter base in West Bengal. I see a glimpse of hope that she will become a tall leader.”

For second-time voter, Rajat Mane, who will cast his vote at Maval constituency — NCP’s Parth Pawar and Shiv Sena’s Shrirang Barne are contesting on the seat — says NOTA may not be a good option, but adds voters can do little “when a candidate has not performed during their previous tenure”.

“I have not seen the current MP once in my constituency after he won in 2014,” Mane said.

Law student Preetha Koda, however, is firmly considering the NOTA option. “I would certainly go for NOTA, but at this point, I don’t think that it will be enough to dismiss the non-deserving candidates.”

With political rallies and posturing gaining momentum, youngsters in Pune say they were averse to the politics of mud-slinging.

“The politics this time has come to such a level that it is no longer a healthy competition between parties anymore,” said first-time voter Sakshi Shukla, who belongs to Mumbai.

Youngsters also said the government, formed by whichever party, should be open for feedback and not brand critics as anti-nationals.

Nineteen-year-old Prathamesh Madankar of Sinhgad College of Engineering said, “I want the new government to be open to criticism. Nobody should be termed anti-nationals for criticising the government policies. Criticism is the backbone of any democracy.”

Economics student at SPPU, Eknath Taywade, who hails from Nanded, meanwhile, batted for reservation on the basis of economic abilities of an education- or job-seeker.

Engineering student Jaydeep Gole, however, believes that India stands better chances to develop if all the people are given equal opportunities for education, and “nobody is left out on the basis of limited reservation criteria”.

Several youth also say that more should be done to promote sports facilities and infrastructure. “Despite having talented sportsmen, the Sports Ministry has not done enough for the uplift of the sector,” Shrey Merchant, who is pursuing civil engineering from a city-based college, said.

—With inputs from Anjali Marar