Public rates the great Indian election carnival

KANPUR: With just one day left for the results of Lok Sabha elections to be announced, rumour mills are working overtime in the city. The fact that the majority did not cast their vote doesn't matter as the denizens are compensating for their absence at the booths by indulging overtime in debate over the outcome of the elections and making predictions.
After the pre-poll survey, TOI once again talked to denizens to know what according to them were the highs and the lows of this election, their version of exit polls, who proved to be the biggest head-turners and what were the Kodak moments of this political carnival.
1- About results -- The denizens were in a fix about the exact outcome, nevertheless in their own version of exit polls none of them saw ruling UPA or NDA alliance touching the magical figure of 272.
2- About coalition politics/two-party system -- The idea of coalition government was given a thumbs-down and majority felt that the tie-up is used by regional parties to control the national politics and is more of an instrument for blackmail rather than working in the interests of the voter.
3- About PM -- The probable names for PM, which figured high in the list, included Manmohan Singh for his role in dealing with recession, Narendra Modi for the way he was able to convince Tatas in Nano case after Singur fiasco, Rahul Gandhi was mostly the choice of the youth and L K Advani emerged as the choice of old-timers.
4- What we could have done without
a- Divisive promises -- AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa's plan to carve out Eelam state for Tamils in Sri Lanka, BJP backing demands for carving out Gorkhaland from W Bengal, Mayawati's plans of further bifurcating UP into Bundelkhand, Western UP.
b- Unprecedented mud-slinging
c- Opportunistic alliances
d- Naxal violence
5- What was commendable
a- EC for conducting largely free and fair elections
b- About 1,500 residents of affluent South Mumbai constituency deciding to use 49(O) option of not to vote and more so coming out to vote.
c- A bed-ridden voter being carried to booths to cast his vote on a cot in Hathras constituency
6- Controversies -- Pappi-jhappi war of Mayawati and Sanjay Dutt, Azam and Amar spat, Budhiya-gudiya war of Narendra Modi and Priyanka Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and L K Advani war of words
7- Debatable
a- The role of Election Commission drew flak for being too assertive of its rights leading to diminished charm of the elections
b- The disclosure of mind-boggling wealth owned by candidates
8- Picture perfect -- Haute couture war of personalities, Priyanka Gandhi in her sari avtar emulating Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Dutt dressed in spotless white, Armani-clad Azharuddin, Varun Gandhi and Narendra Modi in well-ironed out saffron kurtas
9- What was missing from the scene
a- Personalities like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, George Fernandes, Bal Thackeray, Pramod Mahajan
b- IPL didn't excite much in comparison to this electoral carnival