BHOPAL: Despite the tall claims of improved economic growth (pre US-led financial crisis) in the country, unemployment is a cause for serious concern among the people of three Hindi-speaking states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

This is what the peoples manifesto prepared by the Dainik Bhaskar group found. The findings based on the response of thousands of Dainik Bhaskar readers also stated that besides unemployment, corruption, inflation, education, power crisis, drinking water and bad road network are the other issues plaguing the citizens mind.

In a novel gesture by any media group, the Dainik Bhaskar - market leader in these states - had asked people to list seven top issues they think the political parties must address in their election manifesto. Interestingly, people of all three states that are going to elections in November have highlighted the fact that unemployment is a cause for concern.

Besides asking them to list the issues, they were also asked to list their criteria for choosing a political party over others. They were not bound by any choices and were free to write the way they felt. Over one lakh people responded to the survey, in which youth dominated.

Incidentally all the three aforementioned states are ruled by Bhartiya Janata Party which rode to power defeating the Congress in 2003. This independent survey may help the BJP, which faces the anti-incumbency factor. The survey can also help them set the agenda as BJP goes to the polls and avoid the wrath of over 12 crore people of these states.

BJP had vowed to give a different government and good governance in 2003 but in all the three states corruption remains an issue and people want a solution. Independent reports suggest that in MP, corruption has exceeded that of the Congress during the Digvijay Singh's 10-year long regime.

Bhaskar's popular survey indicates that people still feel they would vote for an individual who had a clean image and who stands for probity in public life. As for a party, their vote would go to one which stands for development, corruption-free rule and for potential to fulfil promises.