Raj Thackeray, Sanjay Dutt among early voters in Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 1 (UNI) Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray, who is beginning his independent political innings with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and actor Sanjay Dutt were prominent among the early voters for the high profile polls today.

Raj cast his vote at Balmohan Vidya Mandir, Dadar at 1000 hrs while his close aide and Shiv Sena MLA Bala Nandgaonkar exercised his franchise at St Mary School in Mazgaon, central Mumbai. Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Raj expressed confidence that the percentage of voters would rise as the day progresses and the youth would 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 said more and more people should participate in the voting process because an honest candidate would solve several civic issues like lack of adequate drinking water, good infrastructure and good roads.

''I want the Bandra-Nariman Point sea link to be completed at the earliest. Commuting from suburbs to the city takes nearly three hours,''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 MD Manmohan Shetty, actor Emran Hashmi, lyricist Javed Akhtar were prominent voters from Bandra and Juhu areas to cast their votes early in the day.

Kiron Kher said she wanted Juhu, the abode of prominent film personalities, clean from illegal encroachments and a better place to live. Other film personalities said roads and general infrastructure need 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 the overall development of Mumbai while exercising their franchise rather than thinking about their street and locality.

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

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

UNI