Thread by @SushmaMahabala

Today as Bengaluru South Voter I support @HariprasadBK2. I eliminated other candidates and ended up with INC. I shared Congress leaders manifesto on my WhatsApp status. My good old friend from Udupi called me urban terrorist for supporting INC

Foremost, if I vote for independent, there is higher chance of TS winning. As a survivor of CSA and domestic violence, working with women on safety issues, I just can't vote for TS. I have seen communal violence from close quarters & have experienced untouchability, can't support

Islamaphobe and someone who is blind to caste issues. Can't support one who appropriates Ambedkar for his agenda.
Now I am not INC Fangirl. But why @HariprasadBK2 and why @INCIndia this election.

1. I have already listed why not TS. 2. I checked @HariprasadBK2 ' s performance in Rajya Sabha. He has raised important questions, debated on issues I care about and has spent his MPLAD funds well. In his long career, I did not find any allegations of physical, sexual abuse.

He has proven track record which shows he will talk behalf of us in parliament. I also hope his office will be accessible to young people like me who are working in policy space. (If TS is elected, I will work with him too, because as a citizen it's my duty to

Engage with MP. Now my analysis is on whom do I prefer voting)
Now the question of why INC and not BJP. First let's look at track record of BJP for last 5 years. We are all talking about economy and jobs. But as a survivor of CSA, I care about POCSO and creating safe environment

for children. This Government introduced death punishment in POCSO. Large number of organisations working on CSA and mothers of victims also wrote to the Govt. This govt. did not listen. I can explain you why it was a wrong move in a different thread

But my GoI's move and unwillingness to listen made me relive my trauma and cry for days. Not seeing anything about this in its current manifesto showed me that they probably don't care about CSA victims. As a survivor, how do I support?

2. BJP pushed the Trans bill. Entire community was protesting. Did not listen to them. And current BJP manifesto has added vague 3 points for Trans community but nothing about the bill. Why should I support?

3. Citizenship ammendment bill and NRC. Don't make me explain.
On other hand INC manifesto made it certain that they listened to citiznes. I was happy looking at what they had proposed for issues I care most about.

Now coming to INC is corrupt. Yes, they are.

However, I know that all parties need money. Either they take money from schemes or use crony capitalism to get white money through other channels. We need stringent realistic measures to fix this money problem in politics. Just looking at what UPA 1 & 2 did. My entire village

Got toilets during UPA 1 under a brilliant scheme and these toilets are still functional. 2 of my aunts still work for NREGA. So, I have been at receiving end of good at both rural and urban India. My vote is based on my experience. Is INC perfect? No! Do I like everything about

It? No! But all I know is in current options, they seem like the better one. Will I vote for INC all my life? No. All these parties are selling a product in exchange for my vote, trust and tax money. If BJP changes its stance and corrects itself, I will definitely vote for BJP

If INC as opposition fails to question the ruling govt. on these issues. I will contribute my hard earned money to @AAPKarnataka and other new age parties. This is my country. This is where I want to live. I am not proud of all of this country's history. I am not happy with all

that I see around me. But I will put my best efforts for women and children of this country. A country is what it's people are! When one calls me Urban terrorist for supporting INC in this election... It hurts like someone is stabbing.

I have this opportunity to work on these issues because of the constitution. If not for affirmative actions from successive governments, my caste identity wouldn't have let me have the privelege of getting an education and working for these causes.

I owe it to the women and men who fought for this country and its people. Question, attack or kill. What we are working for is greater than you or I or any leader of this country. This country is all its people, animals and the nature!