LS polls: Northeast people gear up to vote for peace and development

Like the rest of the country, states in the northeast are gearing up for the 16th Lok Sabha elections that will begin next week.

While preparations to conduct the polls in a peaceful manner are in full swing, people in the region are enthusiastically looking forward to exercising their franchise as they seek peace, prosperity and development.

From April 7, people across the country will exercise their voting rights to choose their representatives in the 16th general elections.

While Arunachal Pradesh is going to polls on April 9, Assam will have the elections on 7,12 and 24, Manipur on 9 and 17, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram on 9, Sikkim on 12 and Tripura on 7 and 12 of April.

In Manipur, people want their representatives to work for peace and socio-economic development.

"We are daily wagers and are poor. I want them to do something for the people. After winning elections they are hardly concerned about people's problems, but, we want them to deal with our problems and fulfill our demands," said Hannu, a local.

Besides peace, development and women's safety, people in Assam want their representatives to take care of issues related to unemployment and provide a transparent governance system.

"Whichever government comes to reign, definitely people will expect that there should be some peace, there should be some progress, there should be some kind of transparency and accountability of the government .The government should be clean and justice should prevail," said Assistant Professor Dr. Sajib Baruah.

"Whichever government comes to power, we want that it should provide subsidised loans to unemployed youth like us, so that they can start their own business. Unemployment will then be reduced," added Sumit Dutta, a young entrepreneur

In Tripura, which has been reaping the peace dividend, the people are looking forward to greater development and prosperity.

"Corruption is a big issue. We want corruption to be under control. And of course, employment is a big issue. People should get employed. And employment generation opportunities should be expanded all across the country," said social activist Biswendu Bhattacharjee.

"Inflation should be brought under control and whichever government comes to power, it should be able to make our country a global power," added journalist Nabendu.

However, people in Nagaland want an early political solution to the Naga problem. They are fed up with prolonged insurgency, extortion and ethnic violence.

Unemployment, peace, price hike, economic growth and stability will be the deciding parameters in Nagaland, and other parts of the northeastern region.

In Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Sikkim, the people want better connectivity, infrastructure development, employment generation and much more from the coming elections.