I was the home secretary for Gujarat. So I knew what was happening inside. But I got tired of the Janata Party experiment, and voted for the Congress again in 1980."

He has overseen four elections during his stint as the chief electoral officer for Gujarat for 13 years from 1972 to 1985. He remembers the 1975 elections as being the "most difficult." Otherwise during his stint the people of Gujarat were very peaceful, and there was never any law-and-order problem or booth capturing or violence.

Kantha says she was never influenced by Chandramouli's thinking or ideas. "My voting pattern may be similar to his but I have my own opinion, and I always vote according to my own thinking. I used to vote for the Congress in the beginning but ever since the BJP was formed, I have been voting for them. I don't approve of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin and her inexperience," Kantha said.

Chandramouli feels there is no strong reason to opt for a change from Vajpayee. "My choice is the BJP. I like the BJP's policies, particularly their foreign and economic policies."

He also feels strongly that only a person of Indian birth should lead India. "It is not an issue concerning Sonia Gandhi alone. I don't know why the media has not written about Fujimori, the Japanese who was president of Peru. He ruled Peru for ten years, made a mess of it and fled to Japan when he was about to be caught on corruption charges. The Japanese have refused to extradite him, saying he is Japanese. This shows the dangers of allowing a foreigner to be the head of state. Italian law allows Sonia to be an Italian citizen even now."

Chandramouli and Kantha have not yet decided whom to vote for in the 2004 election. "I would like to vote for a person who would support Vajpayee. Judging by what she [J Jayalalithaa] did last time, I am only worried and doubtful whether voting for the AIADMK will really mean trouble-free support to Vajpayee. I sometimes feel if they don't get anything at all in Tamil Nadu, it will be a relief for Vajpayee," says Chandramouli.

Neither of them have ever abstained from voting, but they may do so in 2004. "If by abstaining I would be supporting Vajpayee, I will do that," said Chandramouli.

"I have not yet decided," Kantha adds, "but I am sure I will not vote for the DMK."

R V Chandramouli and Kantha spoke to Shobha Warrier in Chennai

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How We Will Vote