This post has been published by me as a part of Blog-a-Ton 57; the fifty-seventh edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. In association with Madhu Vajpayee, the author of Seeking Redemption and Shades Publications, the publisher of Friendship- Bonds Beyond Time.
Voting day is an important day in sustaining and strengthening Democracy.
There are Different parties and Different slogans.
There are Different promises and Different manifestos.
There are Different faces and Different issues.
Somehow to me, they all look alike. I cannot differentiate between them, not a bit.
As a patriotic citizen, I always register as a voter and I always vote – that is if my name does not miraculously disappear from the list.
Today the magic – black magic I must say – happens again.
My name is not in the list.
I have a Voter Identity Card but probably I won’t be able to caste vote today.
I move from one counter to another counter.
There are many Smart guys using tablets and smart phones, but my name does not appear on any of those screens.
I am getting irritated, frustrated.
I move away from the polling station, cursing the system, cursing the rules.
***
Far away from the polling station, one young man approaches me. Apparently, there is no one else on the road. All that crowd I saw is left behind.
He certainly understands that I have not voted, my face is quite transparent, especially when I am in a problem situation. So maybe he is going to convince me about ‘importance of voting’ or ‘citizen responsibilities’ or something of that kind.
I can ignore him but I automatically stop so that he can talk to me.
He politely asks, “Can you please hold my hand for a minute?”
I am surprised. I don’t know how to respond to this strange request.
I am not young, but still a man, a stranger asking this question to a woman!
***
Then I realize that he is offering me a small plastic hand.
It is an election symbol of one of the National Parties in the country.
I forget my frustration and start laughing.
Well, well, now a days this party badly needs someone to hold its hand.
Who will be that? Any guess?
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