Young, ready and itching to vote?

LUCKNOW: Come election day, and all roads lead to poll booths. But question is, how many tread that road? For young and legally ready-to-vote 18-year-olds it is time to be in the limelight. Yet quite a few of them not have an inkling about their newest fundamental right - right to vote.
Both the trendy and casual lot are closer to being baffled, rather than aware about the coming Lok Sabha elections.
"I don''t know where I have to go to vote," says 18-year-old Shipra Pandey. As for political parties she has a fair idea about party symbols. "I know about the lotus flower, elephant and the hand," she says.
As an afterthought, she adds, "Yes, there is the cycle as well."
Anusha Chandra, another 18-year-old has similar views about elections. "I don''t think I will go to vote this time. Anyway I wonder how many parties are actually interested in the development of the country," she comments.
"I agree some money has to be spent on conducting elections, but campaigning sometimes seems like a sheer waste of money," she adds.
But there are also those who have been waiting to vote. "I would have voted if I could," says Deepti Srivastava who is close to being an eligible voter.
"I will make it a point to vote next time elections are held," she says. Interestingly, none of the youngsters said they would vote for a party even if their favourite actors were part of it.
"It is not the actors that matter. If I do vote it will be for the political party that I believe will perform well," says Amit Pandey. This election may lose out on his vote, simply because, "I am in no mood to vote this time," he comments.
Most youngsters though are curious and interested in the younger generation of politicians that have recently come into the field.
"I feel I can expect something from younger politicians, because till now they have not given us any reason to not believe in them," remarks Amit.
Another complaint that city''s youngsters have is that most promises that are made at the time of elections get into implementation process only at the time of next elections.
"Roads are made only when elections approach. Besides if a delegate is coming, then the roads through which he has to pass become sparkling clean, while the lane nearby remains filthy as before," complains Deepti.