'My name was not on the list': Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi flags voter list issue in BMC polls; urges citizens to check details

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi cast her vote on Wednesday at a polling station in Mumbai as voting began for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

She complained that her name was missing from the voter list at her usual booth and was directed to another polling station, where she was able to vote. Chaturvedi urged Mumbaikars to turn out in large numbers and check their polling booth details before voting."Upon arriving at the polling station where I usually vote, I found that my name was not on the list. I was directed to another location where I cast my vote. I appeal to all Mumbaikars to vote in large numbers and to please check their polling booth details before going to vote.

It is very important to vote for a party that has earned our trust over the years," Chaturvedi said.Polling is being held in 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, marking the end of a high-voltage campaign in key cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Pimpri-Chinchwad.The Mahayuti alliance is contesting the elections largely together, except in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, where the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has joined hands with Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction under a joint manifesto.

The main political battle is focused on Mumbai and Pune, where the BJP-led Mahayuti faces the united Thackeray camp. Ahead of the polls, Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray joined forces on the issue of “son of the soil” in a bid to gain control of the BMC, the country’s wealthiest civic body. The last BMC elections were held in 2017.In Pune, both factions of the NCP reunited just before the elections following a split in 2023.

Ajit Pawar teamed up with Sharad Pawar to contest against BJP, while Shivsena, led by Eknath Shinde, decided to go solo in Pune after failing to reach a seat-sharing agreement with the BJP.According to the State Election Commission (SEC), 3.48 crore voters are eligible to vote across the state. A total of 15,908 candidates are contesting for 2,869 seats across 893 wards in the 29 municipal corporations. 39,092 polling centres have been set up.Voting will continue until 5.30 pm, and counting of votes is scheduled for Friday, 16 January.