Do you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness today? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign for May 21. Aries March 21 – April 20A time of abundance begins with money being transferred into the account. Don’t talk about good luck.Cosmic tip: Live life with awareness as the universe makes sure each person reaps what they sow. Taurus April 21 – May 20A property issue is taken care of- much to your relief. The person you like is already spoken for (just be friends).Cosmic tip: Voice opinions only after running them through the mind first. GeminiMay 21 – June 21Business negotiations beckon from another city, so a short trip is revealed. Do carry daily medications. Family wishes you didn’t have to go. Cosmic tip: Be patient. This brings what you are yearning for. Cancer June 22 – July 23Take proper care of your diet, only eating home cooked meals. Do drink enough water. A broken relationship ceases to torment. Now it’s just shrugged off as inevitable.Cosmic tip: Consider the situation realistically. Leo July 24 - Aug 23What was apparently good news turns upside down in a moment, leaving you speechless and in shock. Cosmic tip: Maintain a balance in all you undertake and the manner in which you speak about it. Virgo Aug 24 – Sept 23An idea sounds good as just an idea but is it really workable? Making a trip overseas is out of the question for now.Cosmic tip: Take charge, being consciously responsible for decisions taken. Libra Sept 24 – Oct 22Some take possession of the new property. This is an auspicious day in other ways too. Emotional insecurity ends very soon.Cosmic tip: Be optimistic when there’s an indication of life undergoing some transformations. Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 22A busy day dawns, becoming even busier as the day marches along on winged feet. Set a few short term goals.Cosmic tip: Be diplomatic and empathize with someone older who confides in you. Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 22Pushing against universal vibes is of no use since they can’t be seen nor felt; but their effect is tangible. Spend time with people you like.Cosmic tip: Patiently live through this plateau phase. Capricorn Dec 23 – Jan 20There’s more you are capable of achieving, so have faith, pushing yourself to ultimate limits. A project report is completed today.Cosmic tip: Take your time about really getting to know a new friend. Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19Innumerable details need your attention before heading out of town, so be systematic about it in advance.Cosmic tip: Enjoy this phase in life which is so different to what you were used to. Pisces Feb 20 – March 20A sensitive family matter threatens to blow out of proportion (the issue isn’t even that important).Cosmic tip: Remain connected to positive thought processes, finding solutions instead of getting side tracked by trivial issues.
21 May,2024 12:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirley BoseDespite several hiccups, nearly half of the city's voters exercised their franchise at polling stations on Monday. Like the last two Lok Sabha elections, the approximate voter turnout remained at 47.52 per cent until 5 pm. The final figure might increase slightly as the voting continued until 6 pm. In 2019, the voter turnout was 55.38 per cent. This election seems to have the lowest turnout compared to the first four phases of polling in the state, which were primarily in rural areas. As per the data available before press time, the highest voter turnout in the city was in the North West constituency, while the lowest was in the South Mumbai constituency at 44.22 per cent. Among the 36 Assembly constituencies, Jogeshwari East had the highest turnout at 52.35 per cent as of 5 pm. Other areas, including Ghatkopar East and West, Borivli, Dahisar, Charkop, Goregaon, Andheri East, Mulund, Vile Parle, Wadala, and Mahim, crossed 50 per cent turnout by 5 pm, with long queues outside polling stations in these areas in the evening, likely adding more voters to these constituencies. South Mumbai consistently shows the lowest voter turnout. However, this time the Malabar Hill Assembly constituency had a higher turnout at 48 per cent, compared to other areas like Colaba, where only 34 per cent of residents voted. These are not the final turnout numbers, and based on trends at the polling stations, the final figure may hover around 55 per cent, similar to the last Lok Sabha election. In the MMR region, Palghar, a semi-urban and rural seat, had the highest voter turnout at 54.32 per cent by 5 pm. Last time, Palghar saw more than 60 per cent turnout. Other constituencies in the MMR, such as Thane (45.38 per cent), Kalyan (41.70 per cent), and Bhiwandi (48.89 per cent), showed similar trends to Mumbai as of 5 pm on Monday. In the last election, the final voting percentages for Thane and Kalyan were below 50 per cent. Voter turnout over the years 1. Mumbai North :- a. 2009 - 42.58% b. 2014 - 53.06% c. 2019 - 60.08% d. 2024 - 46.91% 2. Mumbai North East :- a. 2009 - 42.46% b. 2014 - 51.66% c. 2019 - 57.22% d. 2024 - 48.67% 3. Mumbai North West :- a. 2009 - 44.06% b. 2014 - 50.44% c. 2019 - 54.35% d. 2024 - 49.79% 4. Mumbai North Central :- a. 2009 - 39.52% b. 2014 - 48.66% c. 2019 - 53.68% d. 2024 - 47.32% 5. Mumbai South Central :- a. 2009 - 39.50% b. 2014 - 53.09% c. 2019 - 55.35% d. 2024 - 48.26% 6. Mumbai South :- a. 2009 - 40.36% b. 2014 - 52.48% c. 2019 - 51.58% d. 2024 - 44.22 7. Thane :- a. 2009 - 41.50% b. 2014 - 50.85% c. 2019 - 49.37% d. 2024 - 45.38% 8. Kalyan :- a. 2009 - 34.30% b. 2014 - 42.88% c. 2019 - 45.29% d. 2024 - 41.70% 9. Bhiwandi :- a. 2009 - 39.39% b. 2014 - 51.61% c. 2019 - 53.18% d. 2024 - 48.89% 10. Palghar :- a. 2009 - 48.10% b. 2014 - 62.90% c. 2019 - 60.74% d. 2024 - 54.32% 2024 figures are till 5 pm Assembly constituency-wise voting till 5 pm Mumbai North - 46.91% Borivli - 50.50% Dahisar - 50.37% Magathane - 43.20% Kandivli East - 40.89% Charkop - 51.90% Malad West - 44.42% Mumbai North West -49.79% Jogeshwari East- 52.35% Dindoshi- 49.04% Goregaon- 50.05% Versova - 48.12% Andheri West - 48.60% Andheri East - 50.42% Mumbai North East -48.67% Mulund - 51.91% Vikhroli - 45.76% Bhandup West -48.00% Ghatkopar West- 51.52% Ghatkopar East -52.68% Mankhurd -42.82% Mumbai North central - 47.32% Vile parle -51.09% Chandivali -43.20% Kurla - 48.01% Kalina -48.29% Bandra East -46.55% Bandra West -49.11% Mumbai South Central -48.26% Anushakti Nagar - 47.75% Chembur -50.33% Dharavi - 45.12% Sion Koliwada -45.20% Wadala -51.25% Mahim -51.12% Mumbai South -44.22% Worli -45.81% Sewri -48.33% Byculla -41.30% Malabar hill -48.80% Mumbadevi -46.77% Colaba -34.29%
20 May,2024 11:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-dayMaharashtra's Palghar recorded 61.18 per cent voter turn out in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 with highest voting of 71.02 per cent in district's Vikramgad, the officials said on Monday. The officials said that Palghar's Dahanu recorded 69.15 per cent voting followed by Boisar 61 per cent, Nalasopara 50.11 per cent and Vasai 58.07 per cent. Voting was held for 13 seats in Maharashtra in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls on Monday. Meanwhile, an average voter turnout of 48.66 per cent was recorded till 5 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including half a dozen in Mumbai, in the fifth and final phase of elections in the state as Bollywood actors, corporate leaders and prominent politicians came out to exercise their franchise, as per poll officials. Among the other seats, till 5 pm, Maharashtra's Nashik recorded 51.16 per cent, Bhiwandi 48.89 per cent, Dhule 48.81 per cent, Mumbai North 46.91 per cent, Mumbai North Central 47.32 per cent, Mumbai North East 48.67 per cent, Mumbai North West 49.79 per cent, Mumbai South 44.22 per cent, Mumbai South Central 48.26 per cent and Thane 45.38 per cent, the officials said. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi Thackeray exercised their franchise at a polling booth in Bandra area of Mumbai. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde exercised his franchise at a polling booth in Thane. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his wife Sharmila Thackeray voted at a booth in Mumbai's Dadar area. Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora exercised his franchise at a polling booth in south Mumbai. Industrialists Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani and Akash Ambani exercised their franchise in Mumbai. Actor Akshay Kumar, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and cricketers Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav, exercised their franchise in the metropolis. Film personalities Anupam Kher, Anil Kapoor, Ashok Saraf, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar also exercised their right to vote in Mumbai. (with PTI inputs)
20 May,2024 10:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaMaharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday stopped his convoy and extended help to a woman who was injured in a road accident in Kalwa area in Thane district, reported the PTI. CM Shinde was returning after voting in the city along with his family members when he saw an auto-rickshaw upturned on the road, said an official in the Chief Minister's Office. The CM stopped at the spot, and finding that a woman who was travelling in the rickshaw was injured, asked a police car in his fleet to take her to the Kalwa general hospital, the official said, according to the PTI. Polling for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 took place in Thane and 12 other constituencies in the state on Monday. CM Shinde predicts Uddhav Thackeray's defeat, expects '400-plus' seats for NDA Eknath Shinde, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has predicted that his Shiv Sena (UBT) challenger, Uddhav Thackeray, will be completely defeated in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024. He also underlined that the BJP-led NDA will win more than 400 seats. On Monday, CM Shinde, his wife Lata, and other family members voted at a polling location in Thane. He spoke with voters, thanked them for their support, and encouraged them to vote for the BJP to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in 2024, reported IANS. According to the IANS report, criticising his rivals, CM Shinde stated that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would be wiped out following the elections on June 4. “Uddhav Thackeray has betrayed the mandate of the people of Maharashtra not once, but twice, to become the CM. He has compromised the teachings and the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe to ally with traitors to grab power. The masses will teach him an appropriate lesson after the elections,” asserted Shinde. Concerning his son, Dr Shrikant Shinde's prospects in the Kalyan constituency, where he is running against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vaishali Darekar-Rane, CM Shinde projected a record victory for his son, the report added. “He has implemented immense development work in his constituency and the people have witnessed it. They will elect him for the third consecutive term (after 2014 and 2019), with an unprecedented winning margin,” claimed Shinde. (with PTI and IANS)
20 May,2024 09:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPolice on Monday said that a 56-year-old election officer died after suffering a heart attack at a polling booth in Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency where voting was underway in the fifth phase of India General Elections 2024. According to a PTI report, the deceased, Sunil Laxman, was deployed for polling duty at St Paul's High School in Parel's Bhoiwada area. An official told PTI that Laxman suddenly collapsed in the afternoon and that the police officials present at the booth rushed him to KEM hospital where he died while undergoing treatment. Polling took place on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies, six of them in Mumbai, in the fifth and final phase of India General Elections 2024 in Maharashtra. Voter turnout 48.66 per cent in Maharashtra Election Commission officials said that the average voter turnout of 48.66 per cent was recorded until 5 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including half a dozen in Mumbai during the state's fifth and final phase of India General Elections 2024. Another PTI report stated that prominent Bollywood actors, corporate leaders, and tall politicians turned out to exercise their franchise. The Chief Electoral Officer's office stated at 5 pm that any voter who would be in queue at 6 pm will be eligible to vote. "The polling station will continue to function till all voters who were at the queue at 6 pm cast their vote," it stated. Meanwhile, of the 13 constituencies, the highest turnout was in Dindori in Nashik district at 57.06 per cent, while the lowest was in Kalyan in Thane district at 41.70 per cent.Among the other seats, Palghar recorded 54.32 per cent polling, Nashik 51.16 per cent, Bhiwandi 48.89 per cent, Dhule 48.81 per cent, Mumbai North 46.91 per cent, Mumbai North Central 47.32 per cent, Mumbai North East 48.67 per cent, Mumbai North West 49.79 per cent, Mumbai South 44.22 per cent, Mumbai South Central 48.26 per cent and Thane 45.38 per cent, the officials said.
20 May,2024 07:49 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA consumer commission in Mumbai has ordered IDFC Bank to pay Rs 1 lakh in compensation to a Navi Mumbai man for deducting EMI on a loan he never took out. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Mumbai Suburban) found IDFC Bank guilty of defective service and directed the bank to return the withheld EMI amount of Rs 5,676 plus interest, reported PTI. Per the PTI report, the lawsuit stated that the Navi Mumbai man realised in February 2020 that the bank had deducted EMI from his account at the Panvel branch for a loan he did not take. Reportedly, when asked, the bank claimed to have sent him an email about an ECS payment and given him a loan account when he visited the branch. However, after examining the account, the complaint discovered an expired voucher from Amazon, an e-commerce company. The complainant claimed that IDFC Bank approved a loan of Rs 20,000 for a 20-month period with a monthly EMI of Rs 1,892, utilising personal information from his past loan history without following the required procedures or signatures, the report added. According to the report, the commission found that the complainant's contact with Amazon showed no receipt of money from the bank for the voucher, indicating that the bank did not grant the loan. Thus, it deemed the deduction of EMI for the loan that the claimant never took to be an unfair trading conduct. Because of these illicit actions, the complainant's CIBIL score fell, affecting his financial image. The commission ordered IDFC Bank to repay the deducted EMI with interest, compensate the complainant with Rs 1 lakh for deficiency in service and mental and bodily trauma within 60 days, pay Rs 10,000 in litigation costs, and correct the CIBIL record associated with the complaint, the report added.
20 May,2024 07:29 PM IST | Navi Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs voting kicked off in the Mumbai for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Monday, industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Kumar Mangalam Birla and Naresh Goyal, among others who reached at the polling stations to cast their votes, reported the ANI. Reliance Industries' Managing Director and Chairman, Mukesh Ambani, along with his wife Nita Ambani and their son Akash Ambani, arrived at Malabar Hill on Monday to cast their votes for the India General Elections 2024. After casting her vote, Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, emphasized the critical role of voting in a democracy. Nita Ambani said, "It is important as an Indian citizen to vote. It is our right and responsibility to vote. I urge everyone to go out and exercise their right to vote." Mukesh Ambani echoed similar sentiments, making a heartfelt appeal to the citizens of India. He stated, "Every Indian should vote; this is my appeal to my fellow countrymen," as per the ANI. Meanwhile Industrialist Ratan Tata exercised his voting right at a polling booth in Colaba locality. Six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai are voting in the national election on Monday -- Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South and Mumbai South Central. "Monday is voting day in Mumbai. I urge all Mumbaikars to go out and vote responsibly," Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, wrote on his X timeline, two days before Mumbai was set to go for polls. Voting for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections began on Monday at 7 am and went on till 6 pm. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), more than 8.95 crore voters are eligible to participate in this phase, comprising 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5409 third-gender electors. In this fifth phase, 49 seats across six states and two union territories (UTs) voters will be determining the fate of 695 candidates. In this phase, elections are being held in eight states and Union Territories: Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Out of the 49 Lok Sabha seats up for grabs, 14 are in Uttar Pradesh, 13 in Maharashtra, 7 in West Bengal, 5 in Bihar, 3 in Jharkhand, 5 in Odisha, and one each in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. (with ANI inputs)
20 May,2024 07:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAn average voter turnout of 48.66 per cent was recorded till 5 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including six seats in Mumbai, in the fifth and final phase of India General elections 2024 in the state as Bollywood actors, corporate leaders and prominent politicians came out to vote, as per poll officials, reported the PTI. "The polling station will continue to function till all voters who were at the queue at 6 pm cast their vote," officials said, as per the PTI. According to the PTI, Of the 13 constituencies spread across the Mumbai region and North Maharashtra, the highest turnout was in Dindori in Nashik district at 57.06 per cent, while the lowest was in Kalyan in Thane district in Maharashtra at 41.70 per cent. Among the other seats, Palghar recorded 54.32 per cent polling, Nashik 51.16 per cent, Bhiwandi 48.89 per cent, Dhule 48.81 per cent, Mumbai North 46.91 per cent, Mumbai North Central 47.32 per cent, Mumbai North East 48.67 per cent, Mumbai North West 49.79 per cent, Mumbai South 44.22 per cent, Mumbai South Central 48.26 per cent and Thane 45.38 per cent, the officials said, as per the PTI. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde voted along with his family members at a booth in Thane, which is his political turf. CM Shinde told reporters that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is the stronghold of the Shiv Sena-BJP where the ruling alliance will win all the 10 seats - six in Mumbai, three in Thane district and the Palghar seat. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he has requested the Election Commission of India to look into complaints of slow pace of voting in Mumbai. "There have been several complaints of the overall polling pace being very slow," he said in a statement. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former CM Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi Thackeray exercised their franchise at a polling booth in Bandra area of Mumbai. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his wife Sharmila Thackeray voted at a booth in Mumbai's Dadar area. Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora exercised his franchise at a polling booth in south Mumbai. Several prominent persons, including actor Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Union minister Piyush Goyal, industrialists Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani, Akshay Kumar, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and cricketers Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav, exercised their franchise in the metropolis. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, former Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik, actor Janhvi Kapoor, actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar and Marathi theatre actor Prashant Damle also cast their votes. Film personalities Anupam Kher, Anil Kapoor, Ashok Saraf, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar also exercised their right to vote in Mumbai. Voters queued up at some polling booths before start of voting at 7 am with some saying they wanted to avoid the heat later in the day while some wanted to exercise their franchise before going for their work. In Thane city, there was malfunctioning of EVMs at a couple of booths in the morning, but the problem was rectified promptly, district poll officials said, the news agency reported on Monday. (with PTI inputs)
20 May,2024 07:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEknath Shinde, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has predicted that his Shiv Sena (UBT) challenger, Uddhav Thackeray, will be completely defeated in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. He also underlined that the BJP-led NDA will win more than 400 seats. On Monday, CM Shinde, his wife Lata, and other family members voted at a polling location in Thane. He spoke with voters, thanked them for their support, and encouraged them to vote for the BJP to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in 2024, reported IANS. According to the IANS report, criticising his rivals, CM Shinde stated that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would be wiped out following the elections on June 4. “Uddhav Thackeray has betrayed the mandate of the people of Maharashtra not once, but twice, to become the CM. He has compromised the teachings and the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe to ally with traitors to grab power. The masses will teach him an appropriate lesson after the elections,” asserted Shinde. Concerning his son, Dr Shrikant Shinde's prospects in the Kalyan constituency, where he is running against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Vaishali Darekar-Rane, CM Shinde projected a record victory for his son, the report added. “He has implemented immense development work in his constituency and the people have witnessed it. They will elect him for the third consecutive term (after 2014 and 2019), with an unprecedented winning margin,” claimed Shinde. Mumbai's voter turnout below 50 pc after 5 pm According to the Election Commission of India, Maharashtra has recorded an average 48.66 per cent voter turnout. Cities like Mumbai and Thane are polling in this phase of the India General Elections 2024, which has in the past suffered from urban apathy in voting, per an ANI report. Mumbai North recorded a turnout of 46.91 per cent; Mumbai North Central saw a turnout of 47.32 per cent, Mumbai North East saw a turnout of 48.67 per cent per cent, Mumbai North West recorded a turnout of 49.79 per cent. Mumbai South had the lowest turnout in the city with 44.22 per cent recorded till 5 pm. Mumbai South Central saw a turnout of 48.26 per cent.
20 May,2024 06:18 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday alleged that voting for Lok Sabha elections 2024 in many centres was allegedly being delayed at behest of government, reported the PTI. Uddhav Thackeray, while addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Monday, said, "election officials delaying voting process in many centres at behest of govt," according to the PTI. Uddhav Thackeray asks voters to stay put at polling stations till morning if needed and leave only after exercising franchise, as per the PTI. Uddhav Thackeray alleged on Monday afternoon that voting was delayed at several places in Mumbai and the Election Commission of India was doing this deliberately at the behest of the Narendra Modi government, the PTI reported. Delay was taking place at the polling booths in areas where his party expects more votes, he said at a press conference here while urging electors to stand in queues as long as early morning if the process was slow. As per poll officials, a voter turnout of 48.66 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra where the fifth and final phase of general elections was taking place. In Mumbai, polling is taking place across all six Lok Sabha constituencies. "Dirty games are being played through the Election Commission. There is a lot of enthusiasm among voters, but the Election Commission is acting in a partisan manner. There is a delay by EC's representatives in certain areas," Uddhav Thackeray alleged, according to the PTI. Officials were cross-checking names several times, and women and senior citizens were facing problems at polling booths, the former Maharashtra chief minister said. There was no drinking water at many places, he claimed. "The Modi government is using the EC as its handmaiden due to its fear of losing. This is a ploy of the Modi government to ensure that voting against it is minimized," Uddhav Thackeray alleged. There was no incident of crowding outside polling centres in Mumbai city district due to slow voting process, said Mumbai city collector Sanjay Yadav. In the morning, voters in large numbers assembled outside booths in Sewri, Sion Koliwada and one more place, but additional manpower was used to clear the rush and the polling process was conducted swiftly, the senior bureaucrat said. "We were monitoring the situation at polling stations with the help of more than 2,500 web cameras, and arrangements were being made accordingly," he said. "Everything was normal and peaceful during the voting as we have been preparing for the polls for the last two months," said Yadav, adding the turnout (in Mumbai city) is also good this time. Voters who are at polling centres before or at 6 pm, will be allowed to cast their ballot, he said. Mumbai Suburban District Collector Rajendra Kshirsagar said though there were long queues of electors at some booths, everyone who arrived before closing of polling time will be allowed to cast their vote. (with PTI inputs)
20 May,2024 05:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMeghana Kirtikar, the wife of Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar, revealed on Monday that she disagreed with her husband's decision to support Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction and instead voted for their son, Amol, who is running in the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency for Shiv Sena (UBT). Following the Shiv Sena's vertical split, Gajanan Kirtikar supported Shinde, while his son, Amol, stayed loyal to Uddhav Thackeray. Amol is up against Shiv Sena's Ravindra Waikar for the Mumbai North West seat, reported PTI. According to the report, Meghana Kirtikar voted alongside her husband and daughter. She expressed her dissatisfaction of her husband's choice, questioning why he would side with someone younger than him, such as Shinde. Meghana expressed her support for her son and predicted his win by a large margin. Gajanan Kirtikar, as a parent, blessed Amol on his political path. "I never supported my husband's decision to join the Shinde faction. I had asked him why he would salute Shinde, who is junior to him. I have voted for my son, and he will win with a huge margin. As a father, Gajanan Kirtikar has given his blessing to Amol," she said. In response to reporters' questioning, the MP admitted his family's objection to his decision to join the Shiv Sena group led by Shinde. He stressed that his motivations for joining were not driven by fear of legal repercussions or financial gain, but rather by other factors, the PTI report stated. "Not only my wife, but my daughter was also against me joining the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. I did not join the party for fear of the Enforcement Directorate or for money. My reasons were different, and I had made it clear," said Gajanan Kirtikar. Ironically, after Amol's Lok Sabha candidature was revealed, the Enforcement Directorate notified him of his suspected participation in the Khichdi scam. Voting for the fifth phase of India general elections 2024 in Maharashtra began on Monday at 7 am for 13 Lok Sabha seats where poll officials reported an average voter turnout of 38.77 per cent till 3 pm. Among the 13 constituencies, Bhiwandi recorded 37.06 per cent polling, Dhule 39.97 per cent, Dindori 45.95 per cent, Kalyan 32.43 per cent, Mumbai North 39.33 per cent, Mumbai North Central 37.66 per cent, Mumbai North East 39.15 per cent, Mumbai North West 39.91 per cent, Mumbai South 36.64 per cent, Mumbai South Central 38.77 per cent, Nashik 39.41 per cent, Palghar 42.48 per cent and Thane 36.07 per cent. With PTI inputs
20 May,2024 05:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
