SHILLONG: The Election Department, which had been running voters’ awareness programmes for the last few months, organised the campaign’s final event, Rock the Boat with Your Vote concert, at Ward’s Lake on Saturday.
With the first of its kind floating stage and musical performances by bands like Summersalt and Khasi Bloodz, the picturesque Ward’s Lake, which is generally a favourite rendezvous for young lovers, witnessed a milieu of young and old voters and persons with disabilities, eagerly waiting for star performances and last-minute instructions by experts on how to use VVPATs.
An official, Iron Zeal Wreang, told reporters that music has helped in attracting youngsters.
) “We want to encourage the young voters because we want to educate them to give them awareness because it is their right to choose their own legislator to form the government,” he said.
He pointed to the EVM machine displayed at the venue for first-time voters. A curious group of youngsters gathered around the machine listened to the instructions of an election official.
Besides Summersalt, the state election icon, and hip-hop group Khasi Bloodz, two more bands performed at the event.
Haystack Ladies from Tura and Light after Dark, comprising visually impaired members, mesmerised visitors and participants.
Pyndaplang Kharmalki, a first-time voter, said he was excited to exercise his franchise on February 27.
A shy first-time voter, Robert, only smiled. Another girl, Chin Chin said she would vote for the person who would bring about change.
The election mascots, Mark and Markor, were also seen dancing to the beat of Tarak Tak Tak along with other youngsters. There were many millennium voters in the crowd.
Wreang said road shows and other programmes in local markets were a boost to the awareness programmes with the message, “Choose, Caste, Celebrate”.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Arup Jyoti Borkataki, the person behind the floating stage on the lake, said the stage took one week to build and 15 workers were engaged for this.
“It is the first time that I made this floating stage and it was exciting for me. It was a new challenge for me and I felt good,” he said.
The software and graphic designer said the stage can be moved from one location of the lake to the other.
On the challenges of constructing the floating stage, Borkataki said they had to take the capacity intake of the floating stage.
“At the same time, the water was very cold so we had to work only during the day,” he said.
