Nagpur, Oct 23 (PTI) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday urged voters to turn out in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the elections to five Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies of the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC).
Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari were among those who cast their votes in the Nagpur Graduates’ constituency in the morning.
The CM went to a polling booth set up in the city’s Ravi Nagar area.
Speaking with reporters after casting his vote, the CM appealed to voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise. He said there is a lot of enthusiasm for voting among people.
“I urge all voters to cast their votes. Whether it is the Nagpur Graduates’ constituency, the Amravati and Pune Teachers’ constituencies, or the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune Graduates’ constituencies, I appeal to voters in all five constituencies to vote in maximum numbers,” he said.
Biennial elections are being held for five seats — three Graduates’ and two Teachers’ constituencies — in the 78-member Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC). These are Pune Division Graduates’, Nagpur Division Graduates’, Pune Division Teachers’, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) Graduates’ and Amravati Teachers’ constituencies.
“I am confident that a large number of people will vote and take part in this celebration of democracy. I also hope that the voting will be completed in a proper and peaceful manner,” Fadnavis said.
Earlier, Union minister Gadkari, along with his wife Kanchan Gadkari, son and daughter-in-law, exercised his franchise at the polling centre at New English School in the city’s Mahal area.
The BJP has fielded former MLA Sudhakar Kohale for the polls in the Nagpur Graduates’ constituency. Gadkari himself had been an MLC from this constituency for several terms.
The Congress has nominated sitting MLC Abhijeet Wanjari here.
The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar-led NCP, and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of the Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray-headed Shiv Sena (UBT) are contesting all five seats.
The counting of votes is scheduled for October 27, while the election process will be completed by October 31, officials have said. PTI CLS NR
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.