My vote

The post was written much before the results...I think on 14th May and saved as draft.

"

So, yes, this was my chance. The youth of the nation was going to out to vote (Ignore the hairline).

My first opportunity to cast my vote and the choice was split between BSP and BJP. Now, I am not a really big fan of a recipe which has caste and criminals as its ingredients, but I would love to see Maya become Prime minister of India one day.

Daughter of an ordinary school teacher, she qualified civil services and would have happily retired as a normal civil servant one day, until Kanshi Ram told her “Maya DM nahin CM bano”. She punched her way up through the caste and class hierarchies of UP and rose to the very top of the power structure in a society riddled with caste and class divisions. This, achieved in a completely democratic manner, is very remarkable.

Achievement of an underdog. I would love to see someone like her become Prime Minister of India one day, irrespective of her other credentials. Besides, India needs a woman Prime Minister.

Now, usually the BSP candidate from my constituency usually was Harish Singh Negi, but this time there was someone else, named Surendra Pal. If Negi might have been there on the candidate list, I would have had one more reason to vote for BSP.

The other choice, BJP, had fielded Bachi Singh Rawat. He has won previous three Lok Sabha Elections and recently shifted his seat from his stronghold of Almora to Nainital. Plus, this guy had earlier written me a congratulatory letter, back in 2002, when he was a minister of science and technology at the centre with erstwhile NDA govt. The letter was for scoring well in NSO that year. He has a largely clean image without any serious corruption or criminal charges against him till now.

While leaving for the polling booth, I was torn between the two candidates. As a long time supporter Mom was sure to vote for BJP. The polling booth was situated in a decaying decrepit building of an old polytechnic. We left for the early morning and not much activity was taking place. Now, each polling booth is divided into a couple of rooms. A few days before elections they give you a slip in which your polling booth and room no. along with other details is written. Upon entering I gave the slip to one guy who opened up the voter list and checked my voter-Id card and other details. Then I signed on a register and my finger was stained in a haphazard manner.

I was the 7^th voter of the day. My choice was concealed by an old cloth piece of cloth as big as ash’s skirt in ‘crazy kiya re’ song.

I searched for the sign. The voting machine looked rather intimidating and I tried recalling voting lessons given by Laloo “button dabaana, machine awaaz karega peeeeeee...” since the BSP candidate had little chance and prime fight was between BJP and Congress, I made my choice and waited for the peeeee..., but I was startled by the glowing RED button. I had expected a green one, but the polling officer quickly called me outside saying my vote is done and then I heard a loud peeee..... I exited quickly and was followed by my mom.

The vote was done. I returned back home praying for a BJP victory."