LIVE | West Bengal leads with 73% voter turnout; Maharashtra at bottom with 49%
38.77 pc voting till 3 pm in Maharashtra's 13 LS seats
An average voter turnout of 38.77 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra as voting was underway for the fifth and final phase of general elections in the state, as per poll officials.
Among the 13 constituencies, Bhiwandi recorded 37.06 per cent polling, Dhule 39.97 per cent, Dindori 45.95 per cent, Kalyan 32.43 per cent, Mumbai North 39.33 per cent, Mumbai North Central 37.66 per cent, Mumbai North East 39.15 per cent, Mumbai North West 39.91 per cent, Mumbai South 36.64 per cent, Mumbai South Central 38.77 per cent, Nashik 39.41 per cent, Palghar 42.48 per cent and Thane 36.07 per cent.
47.55 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in UP
A voter turnout of 47.55 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in Uttar Pradesh where polling is underway for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 14 constituencies.
Voting is also taking place for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. The polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.
According to the Election Commission, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 45.13 per cent till 3 pm, Banda 48.08 per cent, Barabanki 55.35 per cent, Faizabad 48.66 per cent, Fatehpur 47.25 per cent, Gonda 43.23 per cent, Hamirpur 48.87 per cent, Jalaun 46.22 per cent, Jhansi 52.53 per cent, Kaisarganj 46.01 per cent, Kaushambi 43.01 per cent, Lucknow 41.90 per cent, Mohanlalganj 51.08 per cent and Rae Bareli 47.83 per cent. The polling percentage in the Lucknow East assembly constituency at 3 pm stood at 42.53 per cent.
Voted for son, disapproved of husband's decision to join Shinde camp: MP Kirtikar's wife
Sitting Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar's wife, Meghana, on Monday, said she disapproved of her husband's decision to join the party led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and voted for her son, Amol, who is a candidate of Shiv Sena (UBT) in the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency.
Following the split in the Shiv Sena, Gajanan Kirtikar sided with Shinde. His son Amol stayed loyal to Uddhav Thackeray and is contesting against Shiv Sena's Ravindra Waikar in the Mumbai North West seat.
Gajanan Kirtikar, his wife Meghana and their daughter exercised their franchise.
Speaking to reporters, Meghana Kirtikar said, "I never supported my husband's decision to join the Shinde faction. I had asked him why he would salute Shinde, who is junior to him. I have voted for my son, and he will win with a huge margin." As a father, Gajanan Kirtikar has given his blessing to Amol, she said.
When reporters sought his reaction, the MP said, "Not only my wife, but my daughter was also against me joining the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. I did not join the party for fear of the Enforcement Directorate or for money. My reasons were different, and I had made it clear." Incidentally, after his candidature for the Lok Sabha election was announced, Amol was served a notice by the Enforcement Directorate for his alleged involvement in the Khichdi scam.
Name not on list, Mamata’s brother fails to cast vote
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's youngest brother Babun Banerjee on Monday could not cast his vote after his name was not found in the voters' list, an election official said.
Babun, who is a voter of Howrah town, went to cast his vote at a polling booth when it was discovered that his name was not on the list. "The Election Commission of India is looking into the whole matter. Only it can explain why this happened," Trinamool Congress spokesperson Shantanu Sen said. When contacted by PTI, Babun declined to take questions on the matter.
Babun had expressed his displeasure after TMC renominated sitting MP Prasun Banerjee for the Howrah Lok Sabha seat in March. Mamata Banerjee had then said she decided to disown him and cut off relationship with him.
There was a buzz earlier that Babun would contest as an independent candidate from that constituency after the TMC did not nominate him from there. He had claimed that the party promised him a ticket. There was a rumour that Babun was contemplating joining the BJP.
Babun is the president of the Bengal Olympic Association and Bengal Hockey Association, besides the secretary of the Bengal Boxing Association, and also in charge of the sports wing of the TMC.