UP ELECTION 20222

(Perspectives from First Time Voters)

With a population of nearly 200 million people, the country’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh is a political cauldron.

Several political parties and leaders have emerged from the state, each playing an important role in the country’s political history. At the same time, the politically complex state has hampered many people’s political ambitions. People’s lived realities and problems appear to have taken center stage. Young voters in UP are more interested in job possibilities and improved law and order.

In a recent field study undertaken by our Centre for New Economics Studies (CNES) Visual Storyboard team, we spoke-and interacted with voters from diverse groups in Uttar Pradesh, to study the sociopolitical climate during the State elections.

KISAN KI KAHANI

(Perspectives from Farmers)

During the current assembly election, issues of joblessness, education and communalism were anchoring the discourse wherever one would visit or whoever one would talk to. For the farmers of Gonda and Ayodhya, their concerns go beyond these. Farmer respondents told our team that they were promised a siphon (water pipe) that would help divert excess water away from the fields to the local river nearby. This didn’t happen. Most of them have been holding on to this hope, but little was done for them by the government.

In a recent field study undertaken by our Centre for New Economics Studies (CNES) Visual Storyboard team, we spoke-and interacted with voters from diverse groups in Uttar Pradesh, to study the sociopolitical climate during the State elections.