Here we come, says Bangalore's excited youngistan

In Rajajinagar and Basaveshwaranagar, young voters, including those exercising their franchise for the first time, outnumbered senior citizens and the middle-aged.

“I am not aware of all the candidates,” said Pachakshari Toragal, a first-time voter from Basaveshwaranagar. “All I know is that there are three major parties. But, I am excited since I am voting for the first time in an election,” she said.

One of the booths in Rajajinagar 3rd Main saw some commotion, when a JD(S) worker allegedly dragged a voter to the polling booth. Lakshmma Eswarappa, 41, said she was dragged from the party’s desk, where voting chits were being issued, for nearly 15-20 metres towards the polling booth. She alleged that the JD(S) worker insisted she vote for his party.

“My name was not clearly mentioned on the list,” she said. “I stay in this area as a tenant. I have a voter’s identity card and a chit, which was given to me earlier at my residence by election officers. The people appointed to verify my name on the list were not allowing me to cast my vote,” she said. “This party worker said he will help me and asked me to come with him. When I refused his help, he dragged me,” Lakshmma said. “But despite all this, I will vote and for the right candidate.”

Police officials sitting just 100 metres away from the party desk turned a blind eye to the incident.

In many polling booths, party workers were seen trying to influence voters queuing up at the desk. They were requesting citizens to vote for their respective parties.

“It seems to be a tussle between the BJP and the Congress,” said Ranganath M, a resident of Rajajinagar. “The efforts being made by the party activists to influence voters should be stopped. After the elections, none of them will be seen,” he said.

“Many party workers tried to influence me,” said Poornachandra Tejaswi, a 24-year-old telecom engineer, who was casting his vote for the first time in the civic body elections. “But I did not pay them any attention. I have decided whom to vote for. It is my right to decide and vote for the right candidate and I am going to do just that,” he said.

In Prakash Nagar, residents said that the Independent candidates were more familiar to them than those of the main parties. They said the party workers and candidates had visited them only during campaigning. “The main political parties have done nothing for the area for a decade,” said Rangaswamy S, a resident of Prakash Nagar. “They have tried to garner votes by bribing voters. But the Independent candidates have tried to help citizens with their own money and thus the people have faith in them.”

KL Thimappa, a 63-year-old resident of Shivanahalli, said, “I cast my vote because I had to. But I feel there is no point in giving my vote, since votes are being bought in most cases. I am waiting for the day when politicians will not plead for votes and rather have their work do all the talking.”

In Basaveshwaranagar, a family that had moved from Gadag cast its vote in the elections. Vidya Hamagi and Sripad Hamagi moved to Basaveshwaranagar a year ago along with their son Vinod Hamagi and daughter-in-law Ashwini Hamagi. “We earlier stayed in Gadag. But, now, since we are here and there are many problems in the area, it is important that the right candidate wins and improves the area,” said Vidya.