India is the largest democracy in the world. The right to vote and more importantly the exercise of franchise by the eligible citizens is at the heart of every democracy. We, the people, through this exercise of our right to vote have the ultimate power to shape the destiny of the country by electing our representatives who run the Government and take decisions for the growth, development and benefit of all the citizens.

The youth vote is sadly underestimated by party analysts.

Yes, it is true, the trend analysts who tell party spin-doctors where to target their advertising rupee and public relations efforts traditionally over-look the youth market. Why? Because the sad reality is that election year after election year the percentage of eligible youth who actually register and vote is small when compared with other demographics. This doesn’t mean the youth market isn’t a force, just that it isn’t a main motivator in the drafting of campaign platforms and pre-election advertising. So, like any self-respecting rebellious young person the natural thing to do is go against the grain and do the unexpected. Keep them on their toes, shock them into the 21st century and get out and vote!

Bottom line: you should vote because you can.

Voting is a tremendous gift. Believe it or not, young people just like you in other countries actually fight and even die for this right; a right that so many youth in democratic nations take for granted. You should vote because you can, if you don’t you may one day wake up in a country where you can’t.

Who to vote for? What to look for in a politician?

The definition of a good politician varies when they are in different types of government. In the world of democracy, a good politician always know how to build support for an idea, convince them of its merits, accommodate others’ points of view without undermining your core values, and, ultimately, find the points of agreement that will allow you to forge consensus amid the clamour of the democratic process.

A good politician must know what the people want! They have to know how to choose common grounds among diverse views, negotiate with the citizens, including those who agreed with them, and finally make adjustments in their proposals without betraying their core goals. 

It is also good if the politician know how to build support, socialize with people of different classes, from the lobbyists to businessmen. This is because everybody simply has their ideas and own valid concerns, while most of them expect them to be able to share with the political leaders, not just be lectured on. Good politicians also need to be good at handling controversial issues, especially those involving different races or religions. Without good handling of the issues, it might lead to conflicts.

We need leaders who are truthful, fair, pleasant, transparent and visionary. Before we elect our leaders, we should examine their qualifications. We must elect leaders who will remove policies based on caste, creed, religion and region; who will ensure that every child gets education. We need leadership with a mission and a vision, leadership with a spirit of sacrifice, compassion and commitment. We must choose leaders who have a long-term vision and short-term plans to achieve it. They should have great personal integrity, and place the country before themselves.

Our votes are an important tool to bring about a change in the system; they give us an opportunity to raise our voice against injustice. But many of us have developed a chalta hai attitude, because we fail to see the power of our votes. This attitude is dangerous for the country. By not voting we are encouraging the status quo.

Each one of us must not only vote but also encourage others around us to vote.

Sources -
www.teenadvice.about.com
www.ibnlive.com
www.nytimes.com