Mumbai: Polling for the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and 9 other civic bodies across Maharashtra ended at 5.30 pm on Tuesday. Estranged allies BJP and Shiv Sena were at the forefront of this battle of might and Mumbai registered a record voter turnout of 55 per cent, according to state Election Commission officers.
Maharashtra Chief Minister leader was all smiles and thanked Mumbai for voting in large numbers. "Thank you #Mumbai for the record voting percentage & people from all Municipal Corporations & ZP for participating in festival of democracy!," he tweeted.
Polling had began at 7.30 am at 43,160 polling stations across the state.
In Mumbai, as the day progressed, voting picked up with several politicians and film celebrities and industry figures stepping out to exercise the franchise.
NCP president Sharad Pawar was among early voters in Mumbai, while Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family voted at a booth near Thackeray residence in Bandra.
BJP leaders, who cast their votes in the city included party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar, MP Poonam Mahajan and Shaina NC. Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi and MNS chief Raj Thackeray also cast their vote in the megapolis.
In Nagpur, early voters included RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cast his vote along with wife Amruta and mother in city's Dharampeth area at around 11.45 am.
Eminent personalities including former Mumbai Police Commissioner Julio Ribeiro, Joint Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Election Commissioner K S Saharia, BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta also cast their votes in Mumbai.
