Hot weather, EVM breakdowns keep Mumbai voters from polling booths

Despite a day off from work, the October heat seemed to keep Mumbaikars away from the polling booths, in yet another dismal showing in terms of voter turnout at Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Selectively long queues and breakdown of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) saw some frustrated voters opting out, while the more patient got their fingers inked.

“I have to report to work and cannot wait any longer,” said an upset 40-year -old. An arthritic senior citizen had to wait for more than an hour due to a technical snag in the EVM. “I wanted to vote and I had no option but wait,” she said.

Some private firms employees got the entire day off, while some had to made do with half a day or just two hours.

MBA student Ankur Bali, a first-time voter from Borivali, said: “Frankly speaking earlier I didn't like politics but after Modi became the PM, I got interested in politics.”

Bollywood celebrities who voted included Rekha, Jaya and Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amol Palekar and Atul Kulkarni. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar also cast his vote, urging other citizens to follow suit.

Corporate honchos seen at the booths included HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh, Reliance Group chief Anil Ambani, TCS MD and CEO N Chandrasekaran, Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej and HCC chairman Ajit Gulabchand.

Parekh, who had been upset about not finding his name in the electoral rolls in the Lok Sabha elections, said: “We want a change in Bombay. Bombay has been neglected for a long time. Infrastructure has crumbled…transport, housing, increase in slums, governance are the biggest issues here…approvals take years and years…the government was in slow motion.

“It (Mumbai) is the commercial capital and we need to make it more attractive for companies to come here. This is what we need for the next five years.”

BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, who defeated Congress candidate Priya Dutt in the Lok Sabha elections, said: “Mumbai has always been low on voter turnout.

“It is the October heat and we have to get people out of their houses and vote.

“I am meeting and talking to people all around in my constituency and it is steadily increasing … People want a credible party, so a face will not matter when people vote. We have 2-3 good candidates in BJP and will decide.”

Meera Sanyal, former chief of Royal Bank of Scotland and AAP member, said: “There is a lot of voter apathy in Mumbai. There is a real sense of unhappiness among people because of the candidates with no high calibre.

“So many voters said it did not make sense to vote though they are voting. For my personal point of view, Indian voters vote wisely.”