April 30 is the Voting Day in Mumbai, Thane, and some other parts of Maharashtra and few other states in India. I am sure many of us now agree that today’s India symbolizes YOUTH and so are today’s politicians – well, would-be politicians. I was equally excited at the thought that I will be voting for the first time from Thane (Maharashtra) constituency. However, as the V-Day is nearing, my anxiety, confusion, and dilemma is increasing.

I had decided that I will vote the Congress which had brought India to a level where it is today – be it good or bad, but I believe it was Congress who has taken many revolutionary steps in moving the country ahead of the race. I was pretty much clear that Rahul Gandhi is the future of India and was pretty much disappointed by the performance of BJP candidates like L K Advani. However, now my main dilemma is: should I vote?

I said I was anxious, confused, and was in dilemma. I was anxious because of the overall electorial scenario going on across the country. There have been many once-impossible alliances of NCP and Congress, there have been quite a few incidences of backstabbing and blame-game among the candidates and no one really giving convincing anwers as to what they would do for the country and how, if they were to be elected. I was confused because I don’t know if I should vote for the senior candidates some of whom would hardly be able to work for another 4-5 years, or should I vote for young candidates who don’t have enough political exposure, or should I vote for such a party which believes in violence and making sure their voice is heard, by hook or crook. I am in dilemma because I still couldn’t find what the country will gain from these elections. So much money is being spent on the whole voting game and at the end we know what is going to happen. Some party (be it Conress, BJP, or some alliance) would become the ruling one, they will try to impress the people by doing something insanely stuff and after a few months, they will forget what they had promised and return to the same path – corruption. 

I am wondering whether we really need these elections (especially of year 2009). There is so much money being spent on it – the hard-earned money of innocent tax payers’. Especially in this time when globally economy is on the verge of a decline and in this time when we should really stress on cost-cutting and saving, why the country is spending billions of rupees in a task that seems nothing but illogical to me. Instead the authorities should spend this amount in infrastructure projects and in developing the country further. 

I think we innocent citizens are being made joke of, during this entire game of elections. We’ll finally get nothing – the promises made to us would not be fulfilled, we’ll not get more tax breaks, the education would be costlier, the women would not be safe in cities, the crime will continue to increase, the black money will continue to be siphoned off out of the country under the nose of our officials, the rich will become richer and the poor poorer… We’ll continue to live the way we used to.

SO WHY VOTE? I have decided that I WILL NOT VOTE.