Guwahati/Dibrugarh: Early-morning spells of rain failed to douse enthusiasm among Gen Z and first-time voters, who turned up in large numbers to exercise their democratic right. Umbrellas in hand and smiles on their faces, young voters queued up at polling stations across the state.Concers ranging from development and job opportunities to the rising cost of living, drove their choices.Sugandhi Prapti (23), enrolled under the newly created Dimoria (SC) seat, cast her vote for the first time. For her, it was a thrilling experience. “How much are the candidates connecting with the Gen Z and interacting for new ideas? This, I feel, is almost equivalent to zero. I knew very little about the people in fray and had to do a little research,” she added.“Development, job opportunities and the Zubeen Garg factor — I keep thinking about these. Infrastructure has improved, but improving pedestrian facility, drainage system and streamlining public transport should be priority,” she added.Meanwhile, Jurmalaya Das (19) felt that this election, the political scenario was such that voters had to choose between bad and the worst. “We had to choose the better among them,” she added. Das, who is enrolled under Dispur constituency, said issues like employment, women empowerment and safety and security on the city streets were the things that came to her mind while going to the booth.For many, the act of voting was about more than just choosing a representative, it was about voicing their concerns and preserving Assam’s unique cultural identity.“We are not just voting for a party, we are voting for our future. The issues of education, employment and local development are what brought me here today,” said Priyangshu Pratim Dutta, a second semester student of Dibrugarh University Institute of Engineering and Technology.For many of these young voters, the issues driving them to the polls were immediate and personal — jobs, education and infrastructure.“We are the ones who will live with the consequences of the election. That is reason enough to vote. I voted for better higher education and job opportunities right here in Dibrugarh so we don’t have to migrate to other states,” said Abhijit Bhattacharjee, a young voter.The enthusiasm among young voters reflected a broader national trend of growing youth participation in the democratic process — one that political parties across the spectrum have been eager to tap into.
