On Monday, BJP MLA from Bandra West Ashish Shelar deleted a picture of himself voting inside the booth. Shehlar however appeared to quickly realise his mistake and deleted the photo and posted another one which showed him outside.
In the new photo he wrote: “I VOTED MY VOTE! May you too participate in this celebration of democracy !!”
Incidentally, Mumbai City Collector Shivanji Jondhale had very clearly stated that voters that voters wouldn’t be allowed to carry their mobile phones inside polling booths when they cast their vote.
He had unanimously declared: “No mobile phone is allowed. If you are going with a mobile phone, please hand it over to the presiding officer. But we recommend and appeal to people to not take their mobile inside voting centres.” Perhaps, Shehlar realised his mistake and put up a new picture.
Former chief minister Ashok Chavan and the current BJP-led Maharashtra government's school education minister Ashish Shelar were among the early ones to cast their votes for the state Assembly polls on Monday.
Politicians as well as members of the public came out to exercise their democratic right in the morning despite rain in some parts of the state.
Chavan and his family members cast their votes at the Ambedkar Nagar Municipal school in Nanded district.
In Mumbai, where it has been drizzling since last two days, Shelar exercised his franchise at St Stanisluas High school in suburban Bandra.
NCP Leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar voted at Baramati in Pune district.
Chavan is the Congress' candidate from Bhokar in Nanded for the ongoing state polls, while Pawar is the NCP's nominee from Baramati.
Shelar is the BJP's candidate from Bandra-West seat.
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde cast his vote in Aurangabad district.
State Housing Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and his family members cast his votes at Shirdi in Ahmednagar.
Former cricketer Sandeep Patil, who was also among the early voters at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, said more than the party, the merit of an individual candidate was important.
"We should vote for candidates who work for their constituencies," he said.
Polling began on Monday morning in all 288 Assembly constituencies of Maharashtra where 3,237 candidates, including 235 women, are in the fray.
The voting commenced at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
With inputs from PTI
