PUNE: As the Lok Sabha election in Assam is coinciding with Bihu this year, around 700 to 1,000 working professionals and students from Assam, who are currently staying in Pune, are planning to cast their votes and enjoy the festivities by visiting their home town.
Lok Sabha elections 2019 will be held in Assam in three phases on April 11, 18 and 23.
Parismita Kalita, who works as a lawyer in Pune, will be able to cast her vote this year in her home town Guwahati. She said, “Since this election in Assam in happening mostly on April 11 and 18 and is coinciding with Bihu which is on April 14-15, I was able to club my leaves and now I will be able to cast my vote.”
Talking about the local issues of Assam she said, “In last five years, corruption has reduced in Assam. There were a few infrastructural developments like schools and hospital as well but still, there is no IT hub in Guwahati or any private company that can create employment for the youths. This forces a lot of youths to go to the cities like Pune and Bengaluru. If there are no youths in a state, how will the state develop?”
Rajkumal Phukan from Tejpur in Assam, a legal professional who has been living in Pune for past six years, will be travelling to his home town. He said, “I am a law student and voting is my right. I always make sure that I am able to cast my vote. Fortunately, this election is coinciding with Bihu so I was able to plan both of them together.”
Talking about the issues he said, “Lack of industrialisation impacts employment. A lot of youths migrate to other parts of the country in search of jobs. Like everyone, we also want to work in our home town but we are not able to do so.”
He added, “Issues like illegal immigrants, which had plagued Assam for many years, need to be addressed as well. In the last five years, a lot of infrastructural works were done which were pending for 15 years. They have tried to do good work but still a lot of issues have not been addressed.”
Samiron Phukan, President ASOMI, a cultural association of Assamese living in Pune said, “A total of 20,000 Assamese lives in Pune and out of which around 700 to 1,000 are travelling to Assam for Bihu and since it is coinciding with the election, a lot of young people will be able to vote.”
He added, “Youngsters from Assam want good economic development in the state so that a lot of employment is generated and they can go back and work in their home town.”
