Maharashtra elections: A Mumbai billionaire has criticised the city's elite for their reluctance to step out and cast their votes as Maharashtra goes to the polls today. He accused them of valuing luxury over their democratic duty. RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka said that there is a section of Mumbai's high society that will not bother to vote today, choosing comfort over duty.
Voting for the single-phase Maharashtra Assembly elections began at 7 am on Wednesday and will conclude at 6 pm, with polling taking place across 288 assembly constituencies. Over 9.7 crore voters will be choosing from among the 4,136 candidates in the fray, the official said. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine is hoping for a strong comeback.
'Democracy Can Wait': Harsh Goenka's to elite
In a post on X, RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka said, "The men and women of Malabar Hill may not vote today because… they’re busy debating whether their chauffeur will take the Mercedes or the BMW to the polling booth. It’s the fear of dirtying their designer loafers on uneven roads, the struggle of matching their Gucci sunglasses with their Manish Malhotra outfits, and the endless WhatsApp debates about the right candidate over quinoa salads."
"It’s the horror of encountering common folk in the queue, the dread of stepping out into the November heat, and the realisation that there’s no valet parking at the polling station. Why vote when the real concern is whether Ozempic is safe or Mounjaro is better? After all, democracy can wait, but the waist cannot!" he added.
PM Modi urges people to participate in polling with full enthusiasm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged people to vote in large numbers in order to contribute to strengthening the nation’s democratic values. Taking to his X account, he urged the people of Maharashtra to actively participate in the Assembly elections as voting takes place across all 288 constituencies on Wednesday. "Voting will be held for all the seats in Maharashtra Assembly elections today. I urge the voters of the state to be a part of it with full enthusiasm and enhance the beauty of the celebration of democracy. On this occasion, there is an appeal to all the youth and women voters to vote enthusiastically," he added.
Also Read: Maharashtra Assembly Elections LIVE: 6.61 per cent voter turnout recorded till 9 am
Also Read: Maharashtra Assembly Election Voter Slip: A step-by-step guide to download it
