PUNE, Oct 6: For candidates it was to be a decisive day, one they had been waiting for with anticipation. But at a time when elections have become a recurring feature and politics is usually regarded skeptically, the election results found Puneites glued to their television sets.The morning at work for Manish Shah, member of technical staff at a software company, began by logging on to the websites of news sources like newspapers and e-zines. ``I wanted to know what the results will be like and have been checking some sites. There are only trends so far but I will keep checking every time I can to find out what happened,'' he says. The TV set at Chandrakant Thakkar's music store has been switched on since mid-afternoon as he watches the national election updates. But his real interest lies in the Pune Lok Sabha results.``Pradeep Rawat is a hard worker and he deserves to win. Those results will come later in the evening and I will be scanning the local cable network for that. At the centre I 'm quite sure there will be no clear mandate again. Everyone is fighiting to save his own seat,'' he says. It may have been a working day for Puneites but elections results are obviously still a big draw. For Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, director-general of the CSIR even a busy day at the Indian Science Congress could not keep his curiosity about the results at bay.``I missed seeing the television due to a packed schedule today but I managed to get some information in the middle of the meeting when Dr Mohan Dharia told me that the BJP was leading then. I am about to go to Delhi now and will switch on the television set for the latest update on the results and election analysis as soon as I get there. It's interesting to watch because I think the Indian voter is very intelligent. He votes on the basis of issues based on his innate wisdom not on mere rhetoric or personalities.''Twenty-seven-year-old Vishal Nanda, a computer student, has been glued to the TV set since election analysis began in the morning. ``I am definitely interested in who will form the next government and will be watching the television at home as much as I can. I plan to carry my pager along with me in the evening when I go for my computer classes.''Says Anil Seolekar, partner in a building firm: ``I watched television wherever I could in between assignments. My staff members have a pager so they told me about results, but as soon as I get home I will be watching TV again.''Shrikant Shivde, criminal lawyer, had a similar plan of action when he got home. ``I called back home from the courts a few times to find out what the results were like on television. Meanwhile some of my colleagues updated me on election results.''``Citizens are certainly concerned about who rules them,'' feels Namrata Shah. The former international hockey player says,``These elections are very crucial for the nation and when the voting was held I ensured that everyone from my office cast their vote. We need to get a stable government and one that will help promote sports. I watched the early results on television till I had to leave for office.''This curiosity of citizens has been reflected in the flurry of phone calls that Dominic Mathew, manager of the local cable network ICC4U has had. ``I've answered about 50 calls till mid-afternoon about the results of the Pune Lok Sabha and assembly seats. But we would only start broadcast of the recording of counting of votes and results later in the evening.''At Janak Merchant Securities Pvt Ltd there is a marked interest in and concern about the results as a group of businessmen huddles around the NSE trading terminal watching the stock levels that flicker on the screen on one hand and the television screen informs them of the latest developments. Says Jaideep Merchant, in charge of secondary marketing operations: ``I've been keeping an eye on the NSE trading terminal since early morning. When the BJP was found to be leading initially the markets were up. It has fallen 20 points since then. Buying of shares is restricted today and many people are selling. There have been at least a hundred calls since morning, mostly from businessmen asking about the position of the stock market,''Not everyone is as interested though. Shyamolie Varma, model and choreographer, has avoided putting on the TV set to follow the results. ``Do you think these politicians really deserve it? What have they done for the country? They've only kept the poor that way. I couldn't give a damn.''For housewife Malathi Bhawanishankar, it's just plain curiosity that's has kept her alternating between the kitchen and the living room all afternoon. ``It's like watching a serial where we keep wondering what's going to happen next,''she says.But 16-year-old Jaywant Dengave is having his day. With his well-stocked thela of vada pav, chai and bhel parked well before noon at a ground adjoining the Shivajinagar godowns he has a long night ahead. ``Tonight this ground will be packed with curious onlookers and supporters. My sales are ensured,'' he grins. And so do hordes of hand-cartwallahs who have descended here to make a quick buck!
