Even as summer heat sets new records in Mumbai, the city is gearing for elections on May 20 amidst chaotic political developments. As leaders jump the political parties, citizens are focussing on the official manifestos released by major political parties. An election manifesto is a statement put out by a political party or a candidate defining their goals. It reflects the social issues that they promise to tackle should they be elected. As such this document becomes a compass for voters who can decide in which direction they would like to see the country go.  Urban civic groups, having the…

At Citizen Matters, our election coverage is focused almost entirely on data, long form journalism and in-depth conversations with candidates, not about party politics but their vision and policies for the constituency. Yet the challenge of getting 30 minutes with a Union Minister a few days before the campaign ended was always going to be difficult. We finally managed to get her to give us five minutes in a moving car and here is what she shared with us.  Shobha Karandlaje, the JD(S)-BJP coalition candidate from Bangalore North is one of the better known women candidates in the fray for…