A woman in her 50s, a young professional in her 30s, and a college student who just turned 21 all shared one concern on polling day — jobs, or the lack of them.

For many voters across the city, unemployment has become the defining issue of daily life. Parents worry about children leaving the state in search of work, young professionals speak of stalled careers, and students wonder what future awaits them.

“The lack of jobs in this state is pushing children out,” said one mother. “They are forced to leave for opportunities elsewhere.”

Those who stay behind often compromise, a finance professional said, taking up work far below their qualifications due to family responsibilities. For students entering adulthood, uncertainty looms large.

Across constituencies in north and south Calcutta, Salt Lake and Howrah, voters expressed different political preferences but a shared anxiety: the absence of well-paying jobs.

Children move out

“My son is settled in Pune and has been working there for three years,” said Riti Sengupta, 53, who voted at The Newtown School in Rajarhat-New Town. “Had he found a job here, he would have stayed.”

She added that while her generation could still manage, ageing is making independence harder. “This is not just my problem. Most of my friends face the same situation, but no political party is talking about it.”

Brain drain

For many young voters, the fear of unemployment outweighs other concerns.

Afra Anjum, who voted for the first time in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, said her generation constantly weighs career options.

“We talk about opportunities — or the lack of them here,” said the law student from St Xavier’s University, a voter in Rajarhat-New Town. “Friends who couldn’t find good options have already moved to Bengaluru. The brain drain starts early.”

She said that employment concerns are more urgent than debates around safety. “Safety is subjective in a volatile world. We are seeing wars, economic impacts, even global LPG shortages. Dubai, once considered the safest, is no longer the same,” she said.

Return, compromise

Many professionals have returned to the city because of family responsibilities, often at the cost of their careers.

“It is not that nothing has developed here,” said Puloma Paik, 35, a finance professional who votes in Bidhannagar. “But opportunities are limited.”

Having worked in Bengaluru and Mumbai, she returned after the Covid pandemic to care for her parents. “Now I don’t have enough options to switch jobs. My growth is automatically limited,” Paik said.

First-time concerns

In Howrah, commerce student Iresh Patwari said he would soon be forced to leave Bengal after his internship ends.

“I want a government that brings big industry here,” said the first-time voter. “Without industries, what hope do we have?”

Others pointed to the impact of stalled public recruitment.

“There has been no recruitment in government-aided schools since 2016,” said Rinkita, 25, a master’s student in anthropology and voter in Rajarhat-Gopalpur. “We all know what has happened to those appointed earlier.”

Employability anxiety

For students preparing to enter the workforce, even academic choices are shaped by uncertainty.

“I chose a bachelor’s in business administration instead of honours because I thought it would make me more employable,” said Dasara Jyoti Lashmi, a voter in South Howrah. “But employability depends on whether there are employers at all.”

Political science student Devmalya Chowdhury, 24, echoed the sentiment. “We almost certainly have to leave Bengal for work. We want that to change. We want jobs here,” said the Tollygunge voter.

Business dreams

In Shibpur, Tasneem Firoz said her ambition of starting a business depends on broader conditions. “We need stability and peaceful coexistence for businesses to grow,” shesaid.

Some voters felt those very values — long associated with Bengal — were being tested during the election campaign.

Communal harmony and coexistence, many said, had been replaced by division in political discourse.

“If we remain divided, there will be no development,” said Fatma Hussain, 58, a voter in Rajarhat-New Town. “We will only end up fighting among ourselves.