New Delhi, April 8 -- Anas K. Hamza, from Palakkad in Kerala, rarely gets to vote in Indian elections despite his strong political views. A mechanical supervisor at an oil rig in Abu Dhabi, he has spent the last 18 years in West Asia and Africa. But he will vote in the Kerala state assembly elections on 9 April-the war in West Asia has delayed his return to Abu Dhabi.

"I want change," he said. Not that he is unhappy with the current Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by octogenarian Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Pinarayi Vijayan. "This government has done a decent job but 10 years is a long time for any party to be in power," he added.

Syam Sankar from Mallapuram and an Uber driver in Thiruvananthapuram echoed Hamza'...