Bollywood stars, top businessmen and legendary athletes including Sachin Tendulkar joined millions of voters at polling booths in India’s financial capital Mumbai on Wednesday.
More than 97 million people are eligible to vote for the assembly elections in the western state of Maharashtra, with about 10 million of those in Mumbai, home to the Bollywood film industry, and the headquarters of the country’s top companies.
Maharashtra is one of the most developed regions in the country and a critical political battleground, as it is one of the richest states. It sends 48 legislators, the second highest number, to India's national parliament which has 543 seats.
At least 400 candidates are standing in Mumbai alone. Election authorities set up more than 10,000 polling booths that were manned by 25,000 police personnel.
The region's legislative assembly has 288 seats and it is being governed jointly by the Hindu ultranationalist Shiv Sena party, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar among other famous personalities turned out to vote on Wednesday.
More than 4,000 candidates are standing in the elections in Maharashtra, in what is widely seen as a battle between Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist party and its allies and opposition Indian National Congress and its partners. India's Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen, a vocal Muslim party, is also in the fray.
The counting of votes will take place on November 23 and results will be announced on the same day.
Mumbai, which receives tens of thousands of migrants every year in search of jobs and a stable income, is one of the most populated cities.
But it is suffering from a growing population and crumbling infrastructure, air pollution, unaffordable medical care and inadequate public transport system and dwindling public services.
