BMC polls: Raj Thackeray, Sanjay Dutt early voters

Mumbai, Feb 1: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President RajThackeray, who is beginning his independent political innings with theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and actor SanjayDutt were prominent among the early voters for the high profile pollstoday.

Raj cast his vote at Balmohan Vidya Mandir, Dadar at 1000 hrswhile his close aide and Shiv Sena MLA Bala Nandgaonkar exercised hisfranchise at St Mary School in Mazgaon, central Mumbai. Speaking toreporters after casting his vote, Raj expressed confidence that thepercentage of voters would rise as the day progresses and the youthwould support his fledgling political party.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and his son party executive president Uddhav Thackeray cast their votes at Bandra.

Actor Sanjay Dutt cast his vote at St Annes School, Pali Hill saidmore and more people should participate in the voting process becausean honest candidate would solve several civic issues like lack ofadequate drinking water, good infrastructure and good roads.

''I want the Bandra-Nariman Point sea link to be completed at theearliest. Commuting from suburbs to the city takes nearly threehours,''the actor added.

His sister Priya Dutt, Congress MP from North West Mumbai cast her vote from the same booth at 0950 hrs.

Filmmaker Yash Chopra, actress Kiron Kher and her son Sikander,Bollywood directors Kunal Kapoor and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Adlabs MDManmohan Shetty, actor Emran Hashmi, lyricist Javed Akhtar wereprominent voters from Bandra and Juhu areas to cast their votes earlyin the day.

Kiron Kher said she wanted Juhu, the abode of prominent filmpersonalities, clean from illegal encroachments and a better place tolive. Other film personalities said roads and general infrastructureneed urgent attention from the city administration.

PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal cast his vote at Ward number 206 in Mazgaon at 1000 hrs.

Former cricketer Sandeep Patil cast his vote at Shivaji Park.

Speaking to reporters, he said citizens should consider theoverall development of Mumbai while exercising their franchise ratherthan thinking about their street and locality.

Mumbai Congress President Gurudas Kamat, who was the first to voteat Chembur booth, said Congress had good chances of doing well at thehustings.

''There is a wave for change in Mumbai,''he added.

UNI