Angry voters confront Hema Malini at Mumbai polling booth during BMC elections
Video shows voters questioning smooth access for celebrity as others allege hours-long wait and poor queue management at Mumbai polling station
Hema Malini faced angry reactions from voters on Thursday (January 15) after she cast her vote during the BMC election in Mumbai, with bystanders confronting the actor-politician over what they alleged was preferential treatment at the polling centre.
A video that has been circulating on social media since morning shows Hema Malini speaking to reporters outside the centre when a common citizen questioned her for being allowed to vote smoothly while others waited in long queues.
The man alleged mismanagement at the polling booth, saying, “We have been here for the last 60 years, and there is chaos here for the first time. I have been here since 7.45 am, and it was at 9.30 am when I voted. Nobody is answerable. Nobody is accountable. Not even a local worker is here.”
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Following the confrontation, Hema Malini called in a member of her team to handle the situation. She then addressed the media, urging citizens to participate in the electoral process. “Sab logo ko vote dene ke liye aana chahiye. Jaise abhi subah main aa gayi hoon vote dene. Mera aagey bohot kaam hain woh bhi karenge (Everyone should come out to vote. Just like I came early this morning to cast my vote. I have many other commitments to attend to, which I will do as well),” she said, adding that voting was extremely important for every citizen of Mumbai.
Apart from Hema Malini, several Bollywood celebrities were seen at polling centres across Mumbai to cast their votes, including Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Sanya Malhotra, John Abraham, Tamannaah Bhatia, Zoya Akhtar, Divya Dutta, Nana Patekar and Vishal Dadlani. Polling began at 7.30 am on Thursday and continued till 5.30 pm, with counting scheduled for Friday, January 16.