On a busy Friday morning, it's yet another crowded day on Delhi Metro. As this reporter boards the Blue Line (Dwarka-Vaishali/Noida) — hopping on to the pink coach to avoid the crowd in the general compartments — the decibel level is fairly high. Women are either talking on the phone or to others sitting next to them. While most of the talk is about television and fashion, a group of young women are discussing the prospects of Smriti "Tulsi" Irani being pitted against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Good news for the Gandhi scion: most of the girls seem to feel Irani has little chance. The consensus seems to be that beating Gandhi on his home turf will be tough though the girls feel that if Gandhi had fought against Narendra Modi, it would have been a more "even" fight.
Across the coach, in another corner, a trio of middle-aged women is also discussing politics, though here the discussion is about Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) leader has a fan following amongst these women, residents of Laxmi Nagar, as they talk about his anti-corruption helpline in Delhi. One of the women recounts how she went for the "durbar" that was held in Delhi secretariat during the brief AAP regime. "I voted for AAP though my husband didn't...I think Kejriwal will spring a surprise during this election like he did in the assembly," predicts the lady.
By this time, the train has crossed Rajiv Chowk and the crowd has thinned out considerably. It seems a good time to make your way down the train. As this reporter walks down the coaches, listening in to conversations, it's obvious that Delhi is in the grip of election fever. Commuters who usually have earphones plugged in are talking to their neighbours. Newspapers are open as the men, and the few women in the general compartments, talk about the latest coverage. The discussions are in-depth, with many quoting survey results from older newspapers to make their point.
Interestingly, the range of opinions is as varied as the people boarding from the various stations along the route. Those getting on from places like Dwarka or Janakpuri speak about the rising prices and the rampant corruption when questioned about the elections. "Salaries can't seem to keep pace with the rocketing prices," says Rishabh Lal, a daily commuter from Janakpuri. Lal, who works in a government office in Connaught Place, is supported by Sanket Vashishth from Dwarka. "The Congress in its manifesto has nothing to offer to the middle class. Our only hope is the Seventh Pay Commission," moans Vashishth.
The issues are different as you cross the age gap though. A group of students boarding at Mayur Vihar is equally concerned about corruption but seems eager to take "action". Says Delhi University student Monisha Chahal: "I had gone for the Anna rally and came away very concerned about corruption. I want political parties and their candidates to talk about how they will tackle corruption." And while local issues, especially corruption, are important, some are giving a thought to the economic policies of the political parties as well. "The candidates should talk about their party's position on economic and foreign policies as well," adds Amit Singh, another young student in the group.
In fact, it's hard to predict what's driving these commuters to decide on a political party. While the men seem more sold on the idea of development peddled by BJP, the women seem enamoured of Kejriwal's brand of "honesty and commitment". The good news for Congress is that it still has some supporters. As this reporter speaks to a bunch of old-timers returning home in the evening, the issues seem to be the same as the ones that have cropped up through the day. Water and electricity vie for space with concern over rising prices and corruption. Some talk about the governance record of the candidates while others talk about the promises made by the parties. What's certain is that elections are just round the corner and Delhi seems to be very involved in it.
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