Maharashtra polls: Uddhav Thackeray and family casts their vote in Mumbai

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 20 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday cast his vote at a polling station in Mumbai. He was accompanied by his wife Rashmi Thackeray and son and party leader Aaditya Thackeray.
After casting their vote, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray urged the voters to cast their vote, saying "Step out and vote."
Meanwhile, Maharashtra, after 4 hours of voting, still registered a slow voter turnout of 18.14 per cent, after which Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar urged the people to exercise their right to vote to bring a change in the state.
In a self-made video, Wadettiwar said, "Voting is taking place today in this land that nurtured the ideologies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. I urge everyone to come and exercise your right to vote. I hope you will all vote for the respect, pride, and culture of Maharashtra, and also to continue with the ideology of the great people of Maharashtra."
According to the Election Commission of India, Maharashtra has recorded a voter turnout of 18.14 per cent till 11 am whereas the Jharkhand has recorded 31.37 per cent.
Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra recorded the highest voter turnout of 30.00 per cent, while the district of Nanded recorded the lowest voter turnout of 13.67 per cent till 11 am, as per the data of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also appealed everyone to vote in the assembly elections.
"I appeal to everyone that the festival of democracy is going on and participation in democracy is very important. For those who have expectations from their government, it is even more important for them to come out to vote. Everyone should vote," he said.
Voting for the single-phase Maharashtra assembly elections began at 7 am today and will conclude at 6 this evening. Polling is taking place across 288 assembly constituencies.
The primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. (ANI)