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With a three-cornered contests on the cards in a majority of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab this time, younger voters are likely to hold the key for the major political parties – the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – for the crucial state elections on 4 February.
Ironically, the young voters have to choose between ageing leaders who are the chief ministerial faces of two parties – the Akali Dal and the Congress.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is 89 years old. His Congress rival, Amarinder Singh, claims that Badal is actually 94 years old, while he himself will turn 75 in March. The AAP is yet to project its chief ministerial face.
All the four major political parties in the fray are focusing on the younger voters through social media, direct interaction with top leaders and door-to-door campaigns. The state election commission too is trying to draw first-time voters.
Compared to the straight contest between the Akali Dal-BJP combine and the Congress in the past few decades, Punjab will witness an interesting contest this time with the AAP breathing down the necks of the traditional opponents.
While the ruling alliance is upbeat about securing a third consecutive term, it faces a 10-year anti-incumbency factor. Allegations of corruption, nepotism, encouraging various mafias embroiled in drugs, transport, land, sand, liquor and other areas, are flying thick and fast against the leaders of both parties.
While rural voters, mostly from an agricultural background in the Green Revolution state, form a substantial vote bank for parties, many village residents are also younger voters.
The four parties have opted for relatively younger leaders on several seats to woo the youth this time.
AAP will plays a major role in next month's election, and could mar the chances of the ruling alliance and the Congress.
(This article has been published in an arrangement with IANS. Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in)
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