Maharashtra Election Voting Highlights: Mahayuti, MVA faceoff today

Defending Vinod Tawde, a BJP leader, on money distribution allegations, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, “You all know what kind of candidate is there in that area, what is his track record and background. We are not surprised by these false allegations. Vinod Tawde is a very senior leader. No one will believe such allegations…”

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his wife Amruta Fadnavis and his mother Sarita Fadnavis cast their votes and showed their inked fingers after voting for Maharashtra Elections 2024 at a polling booth in Nagpur.

Fadnavis is the BJP‘s candidate from Nagpur South-West Assembly seat.

On allegations against him and Supriya Sule, Maharashtra Congress president and party’s candidate from Sakoli, Nana Patole said, “The IPS officer brought by BJP, Ravindra Patil is not even an IPS officer. BJP has become a party of lies. On the eve of elections, they are doing all this. My voice is not there in the audio. I am a farming man, I don’t even understand Bitcoin. We have given a legal notice and filed an FIR. We will also file a defamation case against them. Be it Sudhanshu Trivedi or Ravindra Patil. Everything will be clear soon. BJP is only lying. We will fight them legally…I have nothing to do with this. We will file defamation…Our government is going to be formed in Maharashtra, we will conduct a proper inquiry in this.”

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari urges voters and says, “Everyone should vote, voting is our right in democracy. I appeal to people to vote in large numbers and strengthen democracy.”

After casting a vote along with his wife Genelia D’SOuza, Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh said, “Maha Vikas Aghadi is going to form its government in Maharashtra…Both my brothers are going to win.”

Amid voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024 on Wednesday, the overall voter turnout stood at 6.61 per cent till 9 am, according to the ECI data. Here’s the district-wise voter turnout –

1. Ahmednagar – 5.91%

2. Akola – 6.08%

3. Amravati – 6.06%

4. Aurangabad – 7.05%

5. Beed – 6.88%

6. Bhandara – 6.21%

7. Buldhana – 6.16%

8. Chandrapur – 8.05%

9. Dhule – 6.79%

10. Gadchiroli – 12.33%

11. Gondiya – 7.94%

12. Hingoli – 6.45%

13. Jalgaon – 5.85%

14. Jalna – 7.51%

15. Kolhapur – 7.38%

16. Latur – 5.91%

17. Mumbai City – 6.25%

18. Mumbai Suburban – 7.88%

19. Nagpur – 6.86%

20. Nanded – 5.42%

21. Nandurbar – 7.76%

22. Nashik – 6.89%

23. Osmanabad – 4.85%

24. Palghar – 7.30%

25. Parbhani – 6.59%

26. Pune – 5.53%

27. Raigad – 7.55%

28. Ratnagiri – 9.30%

29. Sangli – 6.14%

30. Satara – 5.14%

31. Sindhudurg – 8.61%

32. Solapur – 5.07%

33. Thane – 6.66%

34. Wardha – 5.93%

35. Washim – 5.33%

36. Yavatmal – 7.17%

The state of Maharashtra saw brisk voting till 9 am as the overall voter turnout stood at 6.61 per cent, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI) data.

A major political row erupted a day before the Maharashtra elections after Ravindranath Patil, a former IPS officer from Pune, levelled allegations against Baramati MP Supriya Sule, as well as Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole.

Later, the BJP released purported voice notes, which they claimed involved Supriya Sule and Nana Patole in a conspiracy to encash Bitcoins to influence the electoral process. BJP leaders further alleged that it was aimed at manipulating elections.

NCP candidate from Bandra East Zeeshan Siddiqui cast his vote on Wednesday. After exercising his franchise, Siddiqui said, “For the first time, I have come alone to vote. My father (Baba Siddiqui) is no more. This is different but this will have to be done. I know that my father is with me. I started my day by visiting the graveyard in the morning…I think everyone must vote…”

Bollywood actors are coming out in large numbers to exercise their franchise during the polling for the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Among these actors are, Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Sonu Sood and several others.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-SCP chief Sharad Pawar cast his vote on Wednesday amid the polling for Maharashtra Assembly elections. While interacting with the media, Pawar kept mum on questions about scam charges against his daughter, Supriya Sule.

Responding to allegations against Supriya Sule and Nana Patole, she said, “I have filed a defamation case and a criminal case. I am ready to answer his (Sudhanshu Trivedi) 5 questions wherever he wants. Time of his choice, place of his choice and platform of his choice. I am ready to answer him because all the allegations are completely false.”

After casting his vote, NCP-SCP candidate from Baramati Assembly seat, Yugendra Pawar told ANI, “Pawar sahab (Sharad Pawar) is with us, so we are not nervous at all. I am contesting elections for the first time, but I have been in politics for many years, so this is nothing new for me. Now the new generation should come forward…”

On allegations against Supriya Sule, he says, “I have not seen the audio clip, but yesterday video clip of some BJP leaders went viral, you should also look at that.”

Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, severed ties with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and joined hands with the Mahayuti in Maharashtra and took oath as the Deputy CM. In the Assembly elections, he is pitted against his nephew Yugendra in the Baramati constituency.

After casting his vote, Ajit Pawar said, “Mahayuti will return to power after winning a majority. However, it is always difficult when the fight is against a family member.”

Amid voting for the Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024, Maharashtra Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer, S Chockalingam, urged voters to exercise their right and not treat the polling day as a holiday.

NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule cast her vote at a polling station in Baramati. NCP has fielded Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and NCP-SCP has fielded Yugendra Pawar from the Baramati Assembly constituency for the Maharashtra elections.

Sachin Tendulkar along with his wife and daughter cast their votes on Wednesday at a polling booth in Mumbai.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das arrived at a polling station in Mumbai to exercise his right to vote during the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024.

Senior RSS leader Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi emphasised the importance of voting after casting his vote in Nagpur during the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. “What is the point of giving us the Constitutional right if we don’t use it? The Constitution has given you the right… you have to elect your representative once in five years,” he said, urging citizens to actively participate in the democratic process.

Actor Akshay Kumar cast his vote at a polling booth in Mumbai and commended the arrangements made for the election.

“The best thing is that the arrangements are very good. I can see that arrangements for senior citizens are very good and cleanliness has been maintained. Everyone should come and vote because that is the most important thing,” Kumar said.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat arrived in Nagpur solely to cast his vote. He urged citizens to fulfil their democratic duty by participating in the electoral process.

Actor Rajkummar Rao after casting his vote at a polling booth in Gyan Kendra Secondary School, Mumbai, said, “It is our right in democracy, so it’s important that we step outside to vote. I have performed my duties.”

Mumbai BJP president and Bandra West assembly constituency candidate, Ashish Shelar, casts his vote at a polling station in St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra.

“I am hopeful that people of Baramati will vote for me and I will win with big margin,” said Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar after casting his vote.

Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan has appealed to the people of the state to come out and vote in the ongoing Assembly elections. After casting his vote in Mumbai, he emphasised, “It is their choice to vote for whoever they want, but they should do it. This is a basic duty of every citizen.”

As voting takes place for all seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges the state’s voters to participate with full enthusiasm and contribute to the success of this “festival of democracy.”

“Today, votes will be cast for all the seats of Maharashtra Assembly elections. I urge the voters of the state to be a part of it with full enthusiasm and add to the glory of the festival of democracy. On this occasion, I appeal to all the youth and women voters to come out in large numbers and vote,” PM Modi wrote in his post on X.

Voting starts across all 288 constituencies in Maharashtra. A total of 4,136 candidates, including 2,086 independents, are in the race for a seat in the legislative assembly

Security heightened outside a polling booth established at a school in Colaba.

Polling across all 288 assembly constituencies is set to commence at 7 am and conclude by 6 pm, according to an election official. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.

Preparations are in full swing at a polling booth in Versova, Mumbai, ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled to begin at 7 am on Wednesday.