Mumbai edit: Shame old story

As the French would say, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Despite 50% of the seats in municipal corporations being reserved for women — commonly perceived to be better workers and cleaner politicians — despite the large number of citizen candidates in the fray, despite the breast-beating in public by the chattering classes about how Mumbai is dying and urgent action is needed to revive India’s premier city, the story on polling day, unfortunately, does not seem to have changed drastically.

If anything, going by the provisional figures released by the state election commission, voting percentage in the city seems to have dropped below its already low level. Neighbouring Thane, which recorded 56% turnout in 2007, may also see a corresponding drop in the percentage.

At this point in time it is difficult to say whom this low turnout is going to benefit, but it is clearly not going to benefit the cities that we all supposedly love and call home. For another five years, Mumbai — like Thane and most of the other cities in the state — is going to be governed by a party, or coalition, that has the confidence of not more than a fourth of the electorate.

Does this mean those residing in our cities could not care less about them? Does it imply that they do not see a future here? Is this an indication that they are here just for the livelihood and would rather not have anything more to do with them? Or, as a report in this paper suggested, that they would rather look chic lighting candles than spend a quarter of an hour in the sun to choose the right candidate? Well, we all have five more years to slap our foreheads and ponder over these questions.