Civic polls: Get inked, parties urge city in unison

Each vote counts. So, get out and vote on February 16. That’s what all candidates in fray for the civic elections are telling the people as in the 2007 civic polls, only 46.05% Mumbaikars had got inked and the winning margin in nearly 80 of the total 227 electoral wards was in a range of just 500-1,000 votes.

“Only 25% people voted from ward 227 (in Colaba) in the 2007 elections. So, this time, I have been asking people to at least exercise their franchise; it does not matter who they vote for,” said Vinod Shekhar, Congress candidate from ward 227. 

Former mayor and Shiv Sena candidate from ward 7 (Dahisar) Shubha Raul agrees.

As only 45% had polled from this ward in 2007, Raul said she expects the voting percentage to escalate by at least 15% as more and more youth are registering themselves on the voters’ list.

Even the Sena’s ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, wants to encourage the youth to vote. “The first-time voters should increase the voting percentage,” said Manoj Kotak, who is contesting on a BJP ticket from ward 103 in Mulund.

“We will personally meet voters and ask them to come to the polling booths,” said Tushar Aaphale, MNS H-West ward chief.

Citizen candidates too are leaving no stone unturned.

“We’ll appoint one volunteer for two to three buildings in the ward. On the polling day, these volunteers will visit each household in the allotted buildings at least twice. We will put up a summary of details in each housing society so that people will know where to vote,” said Harischandra Pandey, a candidate of Mumbai 227 contesting from ward 1 in Borivli.

Political observers feel it is not the parties, but individual candidates, who try to get a high voter turnout. “In many cases, low voting percentage benefits parties. So, they do not take enough efforts to encourage voters to vote. Citizen candidates will target non-voters or first-time voters, which should result in a rise in the percentage,” an observer said, requesting anonymity.