NewKerala.com

BJP's Chandrakant Patil Urges Voters to "Vote for Lotus" in Maharashtra Civic Polls

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil cast his vote in Pune and appealed to the public to vote for the BJP's lotus symbol. He dismissed opposition allegations of EVM tampering by citing Supriya Sule's past victories using the same machines. Patil expressed strong confidence that the Mahayuti Alliance would win the mayor's post in 28 of the 29 municipal corporations. Polling is underway across the state with nearly 3.5 crore eligible voters deciding the fate of thousands of candidates.

Key Points: Maharashtra Civic Polls: BJP Minister Appeals for Lotus Vote

  • Minister urges vote for BJP's lotus symbol
  • Dismisses opposition's EVM tampering allegations
  • Predicts Mahayuti Alliance victory in 28 corporations
  • Polling underway across 29 municipal corporations
2 min read

"Come out and vote for lotus": Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil on civic polls

Minister Chandrakant Patil casts vote, urges support for BJP's lotus symbol, dismisses EVM tampering claims, and predicts Mahayuti Alliance victory.

"I appeal to everyone to come out and vote for the lotus. - Chandrakant Patil"

Pune, January 15

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil arrived at Eklavya College on Thursday morning to cast his vote in the ongoing Maharashtra Municipal Corporation elections.

After casting his vote, the minister spoke to the media, encouraging people to vote in large numbers and urging them to "vote for the lotus."

"I exercised my right to vote... I fulfilled my duty this morning. I appeal to everyone to come out and vote for the lotus.... The BJP will bring development... and people will vote for that," he said.

Further commenting on the Opposition's allegations regarding Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering, Patil referred to Sharad Pawar's NCP MP Supriya Sule, who had won elections numerous times.

"Supriya Sule herself confessed that she had won due to the elections conducted via the same EVM, so she can't blame the EVM for any loss of the party. The opposition should make a note of this," he stated.

Moreover, Patil expressed confidence in the Mahayuti Alliance's landmark victory in the civic body polls.

"28 of the 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra will see a mayor of the Mahayuti Alliance in these elections. 115 votes are required to become a voter; you can count 70 from the BJP and 40 from the Shiv Sena," he emphasised.

Polling is being held on Thursday across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. The elections are taking place after an intense campaign and are seen as crucial for major cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nashik, and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

The Mahayuti is contesting the local body polls largely in a joint alliance, except in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, where the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has chosen to ally with Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).

According to the State Election Commission, a total of 3.48 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots to decide the fate of 15,908 candidates contesting 2,869 seats across 893 wards in 29 municipal corporations. A total of 39,092 polling centres have been set up across the state.

Polling began at 7:30 am on Thursday, January 15, and will continue until 5:30 pm. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on Friday, January 16.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While I appreciate the call to vote, I wish the appeal was more about voting for good governance and local issues rather than just a party symbol. Civic issues like water, roads, and waste management should be the focus, not just alliance arithmetic.
A
Ananya R
The confidence is high! Predicting 28 out of 29 corporations is a bold claim. As a voter from Pune, I'm more interested in what concrete plans they have for solving our traffic chaos and pollution. The symbol matters less than the work on the ground.
V
Vikram M
Done with my duty! Voted this morning in Nagpur. The EVM debate is a tired excuse. If the machine was faulty, why did it work for them when they won? Time to move on and focus on real issues. Jai Hind!
M
Michael C
Interesting to see the dynamics, especially the split in Pune. Local elections are crucial for daily life. Hope whoever wins delivers on basic amenities. The sheer number of candidates and voters shows the scale of Indian democracy.
P
Priya S
The most important thing is that people vote. Whichever symbol you choose, please go out and cast your ballot. Our cities need active and engaged citizens, not just every five years, but holding corporators accountable every single day. 🙏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50