Rich and indifferent? Slight change in voting trend in affluent areas

MUMBAI: Men and women in designer sunglasses stepped out of their posh homes and chauffeur driven cars, to vote on Wednesday, with many claiming to be voting for change.

Though the queues were nothing like for the general election, upmarket south Mumbai, outdid itself compared to the 2009 Assembly polls 47.59%, higher than its 2009 turnout of 35.9%, the lowest in the state.

In Malabar Hill, the turnout was 53.34%, higher than 2009 when it had hit 45%. In Bandra (West), it was 53.15%, higher than 43% in 2009.

“We were very disillusioned,” said Darryl Braganza, 66, a Carmichael Road resident, who voted for the Congress until this Lok Sabha election, then switched to the BJP. “We want change here in the state government too.”

Gulshan Jasdanwala 76 a

at Nepean Sea Road, had her car drop her to the polling booth, two buildings from her home “Look at the roads look

feel the previous government hasn’t done enough so I have consciously decided to vote differently this time ” she said

Bandra (West) had a higher average than the city (51.96%), Colaba, Versova and Andheri (West) fell below At Versova call home, the turnout was less than satisfactory, with just 40.33% at Versova, barely an improvement from the 2009 figure of 40%.

“There seems to be a general apathy among the upper class,” said Vivek Hurry, 54, a financial consultant from Cuffe Parade. “When I voted this time, I kept in mind the corruption and lack of direction.”

Most polling booths in the richer parts of the city such as Peddar Road, Colaba, Pali Hill, Perry Road and Marine Drive, did not see long lines Warden Road, said she was hoping for change.

However, she admitted her husband hadn’t come to vote. “Sometimes there are practical difficulties, he was out of town,” she explained.

In some cases, poll officers were idle.

“There were just one or two families coming at a time throughout the day,” said an officer at BPM school on 18th Road, Khar. “There isn’t as much turnout even though people made aware about the importance of voting ” the

KALPAK PATHAK/HT PRODIP GUHA PRODIP GUHA PRODIP GUHA PRODIP GUHA SHAKTI YADAV KUNAL PATIL/HT KALPAK PATHAK/HT PRODIP GUHA PRODIP GUHA KALPAK PATHAK/HT HT PHOTO Civic chief Sitaram Kunte and his wife at a Peddar Road polling centre. Gulzar after casting his vote at Bandra. Pandit Shivkumar Sharma at Bandra. Mother-daughter duo Hema Malini and Esha Deol at Bandra. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra at Bandra. Reliance...