Industry leaders beeline polling centres in Mumbai to vote for stable government, development

Leaders of India's industry, including corporate bigwigs from iconic business houses such as Tatas, Ambanis and Birlas, casted their vote in the financial capital Mumbai on Monday in the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai were along 13 constituencies that voted in the fifth and last phase of elections in Maharashtra.

Key issues such as development, good governance, and the need to accelerate economic growth influenced voting choices for business leaders as they exercised their constitutional right at polling booths in the metropolis. Industry veteran Deepak Parekh highlighted challenges such as long wait times at booths, noting that delays in the sweltering heat might deter voters from casting their ballots.

Voting centers in the upscale neighborhoods of South Mumbai saw early queues, with Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran among the first India Inc leaders to vote. Polling across the Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai began at 7am. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das reached a polling station and voted with family members at a school near his official residence in South Mumbai. Corporate Czar and billionare Mukesh Ambani reached the same voting centre later in the evening with his wife Nita and son Akash.

Noted industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla shared his excitement with reporters, noting that his 19-year-old younger daughter, Advaitesha, cast her vote for the first time alongside him and her elder sister, Ananya.

With Mumbai known for voter apathy, many industry leaders urged electors to come out in large numbers to choose their Lok Sabha representatives. Billionaire founder of the online beauty portal Nykaa, Falguni Nayar, emphasised that polling is both a right and an obligation, listing various quality-of-life issues that influenced her vote.

"The issues are more to do with what I call quality of living, healthier life, better quality water, better health facilities, better transportation services, and better air quality. I urge the new government to focus on these," she said. 

Ananya Birla, who runs one of the country's largest microlenders, said candidates' educational qualifications, economic policies, and past records influenced her voting choice. However, for many industry leaders, a stable government, development, and economic growth were the most significant factors driving their voting decisions.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra cited "governance and its outcomes" as the primary issue, adding that good governance improves the quality of life for everyone. Banker Parekh echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for stability and good leadership at the Centre.

"We need stability, we need good leadership at the Centre, which we have had for the last ten years. We hope that whichever party is elected, there is stability," he said. Parekh also stressed the importance of rapid growth, stating, "India's growth needs to be at a pace which is twice that of the world."

Industrialist Niraj Bajaj emphasised the need to support the poor as a key aspect of policymaking, candidly admitting that measures for the industry or the well-off are less important. "What is important is what is good for India, for the poor of India. Personal good is not so important at this moment," he said.

Industrialist Anil Ambani, who faces numerous business challenges, also cast his vote early in the day. Despite concerns about wait times and queues, Das, a career bureaucrat-turned-central banker, spoke about the logistical efforts involved in the election and thanked polling officials for ensuring a successful process.

Nayar noted that voter awareness is high but cautioned against being solely motivated by the outcome. "People want to vote where they think they can make a difference. But it is also important to vote even if you think it won't change the outcome," she said.

(With PTI inputs)