Politicians, celebrities, businessmen cast votes

Mumbai: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, industrialist Anil Ambani, several politicians and celebrities thronged polling stations to exercise their franchise in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

In Mumbai, Das went to a polling station in Peddar Road to cast his ballot while Ambani voted at GD Somani School in Cuffe Parade. Veteran actor Rekha was among the first at a polling booth in Bandra to exercise her right.

BJP MP Paresh Rawal and his wife Swaroop Sampat voted at Jamna Bai School in Vile Parle. Actor Ravi Kishan, who is BJP’s candidate from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, exercised his franchise at a Goregaon polling booth.

BJP nominee from Mumbai North Central, Poonam Mahajan, cast her ballot in Worli. Congress candidate from Mumbai North, Urmila Matondkar, voted at a polling booth in Bandra.

In Bihar, CPI candidate from Begusarai, Kanhaiya Kumar, and BJP MP Giriraj Singh, who is also a Union minister, cast their vote in Begusarai and Lakhisrai districts respectively.

In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot exercised his franchise in Jodhpur district. Former Rajasthan CM and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje Scindia cast her vote in Jhalawar. In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Kamal Nath cast his vote at a polling booth in Shikarpur, Chhindwara.

Voting in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls is underway in 72 constituencies spread across nine states including five seats in Bihar, one in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Jharkhand, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal and 17 in Maharashtra. 

The seven-phase elections began on April 11. The first phase recorded a 69.45 per cent turnout while the second phase on April 18 logged 69.43 per cent voting. The third phase of the elections held on April 23 witnessed a turnout of 66 per cent. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.