Mismanagement marred the polling day in South Nagpur as political activists were furious over lack of food and water at booths near
polling stations. The middle class voters were quite apathetic and activists waited in the sun for voters to come out of their homes.
Sunny Warhade, a Congress supporter camping in Om Nagar, said that voters were not coming as they seemed indifferent. At around 11.30 am he hoped that voters would come out after 3 pm. And so it was as South Nagpur's voting percentage increased from 36% at 3 pm to 47% at 5 pm. Another Congress supporter told TOI that middle class voters were not happy with candidates of Congress and Shiv Sena.
The two prominent rebels Ashok Dhawad and Mohan Mate also did match their expectations. "They want an educated and dynamic candidate. I have gone to some houses three times but every time the residents said they would reach the booth soon. I can only infer that they don't like the candidates. Supporters of other candidates also told us the same thing," he added.
The scene was better in slum areas where voters were coming out albeit not in very large numbers. However, those managing the polling booths complained they had been completely neglected.
Supporters of Shiv Sena near Ishwar Deshmukh college said that the candidate had not even bothered to make arrangement for water. "We are expected to sit here for ten hours in the sun and the candidate will not even arrange water and food for us," they asked. Some angry supporters said Congress was winning hands down but others were not so uncharitable.
Supporters of independent candidate Ashok Dhawad flew off the handle near Bhande Plot petrol station. Congress leaders too conceded that their candidate Dinanath Padole had not made proper arrangements for the party activists. In some cases, persons at booths did not even know whose booths they were managing.