MUMBAI RECORDS 51.12 PC POLLING
In a slightly lesser turnout of voters than the one witnessed in the 2014 polls, an estimated 51.12 per cent of total 96.40 lakh voters exercised their franchise in six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai and an average 51.28 per cent of 3.12 crore cast their votes in 17 constituencies across Maharashtra, even as Bollywood personalities and celebrities turned out in large numbers to vote in the metropolis.
Known for voter apathy over the years, Mumbai witnessed a marginal 0.4 per cent drop in the average voting percentage of 51.6 witnessed in the 2014 polls. The polling shot up in the 2014 polls by 7.4 per cent from 44.2 per cent in 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Interestingly, Mumbai north constituency where Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar is taking on against BJP’s sitting MP Gopal Shetty, registered the highest 54.72 per cent voter turnout in Mumbai.
As has always been the case, the Mumbai south, where former Union Minister and two-time Congress MP Milind Deora fighting Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Arvind Sawant, witnessed the lowest turn-out of 48.23.
The polling percentages registered in other constituencies in Mumbai were: Mumbai North East-52.30, Mumbai South Central-51.53, Mumbai North West-50.44 and Mumbai North Central-49.49.
Elsewhere the State, Nandurbar (ST) constituency recorded a maximum 62.44 per cent voter turnout, while Kalyan in Thane district registered the lowest of 41.64 per cent.
Apart from Nandurbar (ST), the other reserved constituencies of Dindori (ST), Palghar (ST) and Shirdi (SC) retgistered higher voting percentages of 58.20, 57.60 and 56.10 per cent, respectively, as compared with the urban constituencies.
Bhiwandi recorded 48.90 per cent,while in the neighbouring Thane 46.42 per cent electors turned out to vote. Maval, where NCPchief Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Parth is taking on Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Shrirang C Barne, registered52.74 per cent.
Nashik recorded 53.09 per cent of voter turnout, While Shirur, Shirdi and Dhule registered 52.45 per cent, 56.19 per cent and 50.97 per cent respectively.
Bollywood actors, television personalities, Marathi film and television personalities, sporting icons joined the ordinary Mumbaibars in queues at the various polling stations across the metropolis to exercise their franchise.
Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar, playback singer Asha Bhosale, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and Mahindra & Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra, industrialists Adi Godrej, Anil Ambani, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and NCP chief Sharad Pawar were also among the early voters. Naresh Goyal, who recently had to exit from crisis-ridden Jet Airways too voted.Amitabh was accompanied by his wife Jaya Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai. Tendulkar who came with his wife Anjali and kids Sara and Arjun expressed his happiness that his two children were first-time voters.
The Khan trio — Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan exercised their franchise along with their family members.
Sharukh was accompanied by his wife Gauri Khan and his youngest son AbRam. Star-couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh also cast their votes from their constituencies. Actor Sanjay Dutt, whose sister Priya Dutt is contesting from Mumbai north-central constituency against BJP’s sitting MP Poonam Mahajan, too voted. Actors Kareena Kapoor and Kangna Ranaut also voted.
After casting his vote along with his filmmaker-wife Kiran Rao, Aamir Khan said: “It’s an extremely important day for all of us. It is very important for each and every individual to be part of this. There should be love, prosperity and progress in the country. People should keep this in mind and come out to vote”. Deepika Padukone shared a photo of her inked finger on Instagram.
Actor Ajay Devgn came with his wife Kajol to vote. Senior actor Anupam Kher, after casting his vote, tweeted a video and urged people to “participate in the festival of democracy”. “Exercised my democratic right. Did you? Please vote,” Kher tweeted.
Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, actress-turned candidate Urmila Matondkar, Madhuri Dixit-Nene, filmmaker Karan Johar and a stream of other Bollywood celebrities too voted and exhorted the people to come out in large numbers and vote.
“This is the moment that matters... Every vote is a voice that counts,” Priyanka tweeted along with a selfie showing off her inked finger.
“Voting is our right, let’s use it wisely! The future of our country is in our hands. Let’s do our duty and #VoteForIndia,” Dixit-Nene tweeted.
Actors Vidya Balan and Varun Dhawan were spotted near polling stations while returning home after casting votes.
