Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 20 (ANI): As Maharashtra kicked off its much-anticipated state elections today, numerous prominent figures from the film industry stepped out to exercise their democratic rights.
Actor Tusshar Kapoor also cast his ballot at a polling booth in Mumbai, emphasizing the importance of participating in the elections.
“Many people don’t vote because they have no interest in politics. But we should feel proud of our city and our country and we should never give up on democracy. This is the least we can do… Every vote matters,” Kapoor remarked after casting his ballot.
Veteran actor Prem Chopra and actress Isha Koppikar also joined the voting exercise.
Chopra, who expressed satisfaction with the smooth arrangements at his polling station, said, “The arrangements at the polling booth are very nice… Even though I had the option of voting from home, I still came here to cast my vote like everyone else.”
Isha Koppikar, who voted alongside her fellow celebrities, underlined the responsibility of parents to educate their children about the significance of voting. “It’s the responsibility of the parents to make their children aware of the importance of voting. Even though my child has a long time before she votes, I make sure to tell her of her rights as a citizen of the country,” Koppikar shared.
Sanjay Dutt’s sister, former Member of the Lok Sabha Priya Dutt, also participated in the voting process, casting her ballot in the afternoon.
Similarly, Bollywood stalwarts like Salman Khan’s parents, Salim and Salma Khan, ventured out to vote amid tight security measures.
Salman’s brother and actor Sohail Khan, speaking after casting his vote, expressed his hopes for the future of Bandra.
“I am a Bandra boy… whoever gets elected, I wish he loves Bandra as we all Bandrahites love Bandra. We hope a good politician comes. It’s a responsibility to vote and I request everyone to come and vote,” he stated.
In addition to these luminaries, many others including Subhash Ghai, Nikita Dutta, and Aamir Khan’s former spouse Reena Dutta, among others, also exercised their right to vote.
Early in the day, other stars such as Sonu Sood, Akshay Kumar, Rajkummar Rao, and Genelia Deshmukh participated in the voting, encouraging citizens to take part in this important civic duty.
The state of Maharashtra opened polling at 7 am for its single-phase elections across 288 constituencies. Voting will conclude at 6 pm today, with over 4,136 candidates, including 2,086 independents, vying for seats in this politically pivotal state.
The two primary political alliances in the state are the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, which includes Shiv Sena and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
The high-stakes election has seen intense campaigning from both sides.
To ensure the safety and security of the voting process, Mumbai has been fortified with extensive security measures. Over 25,000 police personnel, including riot-control teams and home guards, have been deployed throughout the city. Certain areas, like Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Dharavi, have experienced heightened vehicle checks. (ANI)
