Why I voted: Young Mumbaikars flash the finger!

As Mumbai goes to vote, rediff.com asked some young folks why they stepped out to cast their vote.

Moneeta Chainani, 31, event manager

"How many times have you caught yourself thinking "Yaar is desh ka kuch nahi ho sakta, government kuch karta kyon nahi"…so corrupt and lazy. Ruthless reservations, no scope of women's safety, terrorism! They do nothing about bad roads, the terrible infrastructure and the filthy streets; they take bribe from innocent taxpayers to fill their own pockets. There’s increasing inflation and no benefits for laymen, the list is endless."

"It is convenient to blame the government for all of this and lot of it is their fault. However, when we take a moment to think about it we have been bringing this onto ourselves for generations. India is after all a democracy. We have such a large population that we should be the last country to have any qualms about the people we pick to lead our country. I cast my vote because I refuse to complain about a government I had an option to choose."

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Coverage: Election 2014

Sharmila Rao, 24, trader

"To me, voting isn't a choice. It is one of you responsibilities as a citizen. It is a duty that you have to perform. I wanted to be part of the governance. And that is why I voted :-)"

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Judith Mascarenhas, 21, teacher

"Simply put I always wanted to vote. I always wanted to be part of the system and make myself counted. This is the first time I got eligible to vote and I didn't want to miss the opportunity."

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Stephen Samuel, 21, BPO employee

"If you don't vote, you don't have the right to complain about the state of the country. If you want to make a difference, you got to vote! Besides, it is the most important of your responsibilities!"

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Stanly Samuel, 22, college lecturer

"After a long time, we have someone who has stood up against corruption. I wanted to stand by him :-)"

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Mihir Govilkar, 29, entrepreneur

My first time ever to exercise my vote comes nine years after I turned 18. I wasn’t in the country for elections that happened after that. I have been excited by the prospect of voting for the last couple of days and have given a serious thought to the candidates before I picked one. And the choice was an extremely difficult one.   

Since this was the first time I cast a vote after I became eligible, the sense of responsibility was even greater. The fact that my vote will count towards the election of a government, which will steer my country for the next five years, is a very pleasing thought. It makes me feel valuable and that, at the least, I can vote for a better future.

After reaching the polling booth, I was directed to wait in the queue. The queue was fortunately not too long. There was an excitement even in the wait. People were calmly waiting and the process was going on very smoothly. What was really heartening to see was that even in this country of more than a billion people there is freedom. There is a freedom to vote without fear and without any coercion. In a democracy that is often under criticism, the right to vote and the right of its citizens to have free and fair elections is upheld with zealousness.

Having the right to vote and the ability to choose among the different candidates is daunting. There are promises being made and statistics being shown. Different political parties engage in debates and discussions and mudslinging.

Very few have the gumption to talk about tangible results and very few, or hardly any make any tangible promises. To understand reality and to make a choice in this cacophony is crucial. Confusion sets in when there is no understanding of what you want for yourself but are solely dependent on the opinions of others. Nobody disagrees that there should be development in India and the candidate or the party that promises the most development should come to power. Once this thought is agreed upon and held as the guiding principle, the confusion ends. For me, that was it. With a clear conscience and a vision of the future, I cast my vote for the first time ever.

Oscar Varghese, 26, photographer

"I would always crib about the state of affairs in India. Now is the chance to make a difference. Why would I let it go? :-)"