20-year-old Mohammed Muztafizur will meet a relative who will help him find work as a security guard or a welder.
This election in Assam, there will be no first time vote for 20-year-old Mohammed Muztafizur, a resident of Mankachar in the state's Dhubri district. 10 days before voting, he is on a 34-hour train journey on the Guwahati-Delhi North East Express, in the general compartment. It is Holi season, the train is less crowded, so he has managed a seat.
In Delhi, Mr Muztafizur will meet a relative who will help him find work as a security guard or a welder. This is the first time the young man is travelling out of Assam. With the job, he hopes to send 5000 rupees back to his family of 7 in Dhubri every month. "In Assam, you only get work if you know an MP, MLA. I am from a poor family. How will I find a job here?" he asked.
Assam is among the worst three states across India when it comes to rural unemployment and on the list of the top five states which have failed to give jobs to the youth in cities. According to a report by the industry body ASSOCHAM, over 60 per cent of manufacturing projects announced in Assam in the last 15 years are yet to take off.
On the train, 30-year-old newspaper vendor Bikul says he too has given up on government jobs, after 10 years of trying. The vacancies are too few and the aspirants too many. "An election is coming up, both the BJP and the Congress have been speaking about jobs. So yes, I am hopeful maybe things will turn around," he said.
The Congress, which has ruled for 15 years under veteran Tarun Gogoi, says it has given out 5 lakh jobs in this time and created livelihood for millions. On the cards, it says, are more technical training institutes and 50 per cent reservation for women in government jobs.
The BJP says infrastructure jobs are the way forward. "Our youth are our future. We want to give them employment opportunities. We want that the youth in Assam should get jobs in the infrastructure projects we create. For instance, we are building new railway lines... We want to create more and more infrastructure so that the youth can get jobs," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said at an election rally last month.