Despite showing complacency in the morning, voting started gaining momentum in the afternoon and by 6 pm it was more than 56% in Maharashtra, which saw a five-cornered fight for the first time in more than two decades.
In rural Maharashtra, people were seen coming out in large numbers to cast their votes, while in urban areas the turnout was poor forcing the political parties and celebrities to make an appeal for larger participation in electoral process.
In Haryana, it was an all-time record, and as per the Election Commission (EC), nearly 73% voters had cast their votes till 6 pm. As per records, in 1967, maximum polling of 72.65% had taken place while in 1968 minimum polling of 57.26% was registered. In 2009 polls, 72.37% polling was recorded in the state. A total of 32 persons including 10 policemen were injured in stray incidents and more than 70 people were arrested so far for violating law and order.
In Gadchiroli district, Maoists - in an attempt to terrorise voters - opened fire on paramilitary forces at Maskipalli in Chamorshi tehsil. In retaliation, jawans returned fire and as per the latest report the encounter was on till late in the evening.
Bollywood celebrities and sportsmen including Sachin Tendulkar, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rekha and Boman Irani came out to vote and urged Mumbai’s citizens to come out in larger numbers through social networking sites. One of the tweets of Salman Khan said, ‘Go for vote’. Some of the political heavyweights who cast their votes in Maharashtra included union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar, NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis of BJP, former home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray.
While speaking to media persons after casting his vote in Karad constituency, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said, ‘I am confident that people will choose Congress this time also for the work done in last 15 years.’ In the morning, prime minister Narendra Modi urged voters in both states to come out and vote. ‘Youngsters should show the way and ensure a high voter turnout,’ his tweet read.
Following the Lok Sabha election, the current round of assembly polls in the two states is being seen as a test for the popularity of Narendra Modi, who was also his party’s main campaigner in both the states. Also, victory will be a reply to the opposition leaders after series of defeats in by-elections that tempered the euphoria of Modi’s Lok Sabha conquest.
In rural Maharashtra, people were seen coming out in large numbers to cast their votes, while in urban areas the turnout was poor forcing the political parties and celebrities to make an appeal for larger participation in electoral process.
In Haryana, it was an all-time record, and as per the Election Commission (EC), nearly 73% voters had cast their votes till 6 pm. As per records, in 1967, maximum polling of 72.65% had taken place while in 1968 minimum polling of 57.26% was registered. In 2009 polls, 72.37% polling was recorded in the state. A total of 32 persons including 10 policemen were injured in stray incidents and more than 70 people were arrested so far for violating law and order.
In Gadchiroli district, Maoists - in an attempt to terrorise voters - opened fire on paramilitary forces at Maskipalli in Chamorshi tehsil. In retaliation, jawans returned fire and as per the latest report the encounter was on till late in the evening.
Bollywood celebrities and sportsmen including Sachin Tendulkar, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rekha and Boman Irani came out to vote and urged Mumbai’s citizens to come out in larger numbers through social networking sites. One of the tweets of Salman Khan said, ‘Go for vote’. Some of the political heavyweights who cast their votes in Maharashtra included union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar, NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis of BJP, former home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray.
While speaking to media persons after casting his vote in Karad constituency, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said, ‘I am confident that people will choose Congress this time also for the work done in last 15 years.’ In the morning, prime minister Narendra Modi urged voters in both states to come out and vote. ‘Youngsters should show the way and ensure a high voter turnout,’ his tweet read.
Following the Lok Sabha election, the current round of assembly polls in the two states is being seen as a test for the popularity of Narendra Modi, who was also his party’s main campaigner in both the states. Also, victory will be a reply to the opposition leaders after series of defeats in by-elections that tempered the euphoria of Modi’s Lok Sabha conquest.