New Delhi: The Mumbai terror attack weighed heavily on the minds of Delhi residents on Saturday as they cast their ballot for a new state assembly.

Be it a 74-year-old woman or a teenager casting his vote for the first time, people voted as much for peace and security as they did for issues like development and price rise.

"I have voted for change and want the government to look seriously at issues such as terrorism and price rise," said college student Mayank Sharma, 19, who was excited about voting for the first time. Sharma came to vote with his parents at around 9am yesterday, around the time when the terror siege of Mumbai that had begun on Wednesday night came to an end.

People here have been glued to TV for hours on end, with channels giving live coverage of the tragedy that claimed at least 152 lives. At least 10.7 million people were eligible to vote in the polling that began at 8am and went on till 5pm. Voting is being held for 69 seats, with election deferred in one constituency.

People voted quite enthusiastically and some even came with their children to show them the electoral process. The cold winds early morning could not hold the voters back.

"I voted for the Congress because I am afraid that its biggest rival, with its pro-Hindutva line, will only try to divide communities, perhaps even more so after the Mumbai episode," said Kaveri Basu, a resident of Vasant Kunj in south Delhi.

Of course, there were those who voted not just for the party but also for the candidate.

"I voted for continuity. The candidate was the sitting MLA who has done good work in our area," said Ranjana Kapoor.

sms messages upset voters

The flood of SMS by political parties seeking votes began as a novel idea but it is now irritating many in Delhi.

"Enough is enough! I was already tired of both the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] and the Congress making political capital of the Mumbai attack. The BSP [Bahujan Samaj Party] is no different," said Mayank, a young man after getting an SMS yesterday as the capital voted to pick a new assembly.

He got an SMS on behalf of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati. It read: "Please accept my good morning and humble request. Please cast your vote against sealing, demolition, corruption, terrorism on heights, inflation. Mayawati."

Added Manoj Dass: "I am fed up with these SMS. Since the elections were declared, I have been flooded with SMS."