Mohan Bhagwat Urges Voters To Reject NOTA As High-Stakes Civic Polls Begin In Mumbai

Mumbai and the surrounding regions are holding crucial BMC elections, testing political alliances. A BJP leader claimed victory in Pune's mayoral race.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged voters to choose wisely, avoiding NOTA.

Source : PTI

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Voting for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections is underway in Mumbai on Tuesday, alongside civic polls in several Municipal Corporations across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). These include Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi, and Mira-Bhayandar. Polling is being conducted from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm at all locations.

The elections are seen as a major political test, with the credibility of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar at stake. On the other side, the alliance led by the Thackeray brothers—Uddhav and Raj—is attempting to reclaim control of the BMC, one of the country’s most influential civic bodies.

Mohan Bhagwat’s Message to Voters

Amid the voting process, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat weighed in on the BMC elections, emphasising the importance of responsible voting in a democracy. He said casting a vote is a crucial civic duty and should be done after careful thought.

Bhagwat cautioned against the use of NOTA, explaining that it signifies rejecting all candidates but may indirectly help those voters do not wish to see elected. He urged citizens to choose the best available candidate in the larger public interest, warning that a state of anarchy, where no one is chosen, is the worst possible outcome.

Tight Security, Large-Scale Arrangements

Extensive security arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful polling. Around 28,000 police personnel have been deployed across Mumbai. For smooth voting across 227 seats, authorities have appointed 64,375 election staff.

Across Maharashtra, voting is being held today for 2,869 seats in 29 Municipal Corporations. The electorate includes 3.48 crore voters, comprising 1.81 crore men, 1.66 crore women, and 4,596 voters from other categories.

Murli Dhar Mohol’s Claim On Pune Mayor Post

Union Minister of State Murli Dhar Mohol cast his vote at polling centre number 42 in Ward 31 at P Jog School in Pune. Speaking to reporters, he said voting was underway for civic body elections in Pune and that he had come to vote with his family.

Mohol asserted that people were witnessing the work and welfare schemes of the central government and confidently claimed that Pune’s next mayor would be from the Bharatiya Janata Party.