Ranchi: As voting progressed on Monday for municipal elections in 48 urban local bodies of Jharkhand, key political figures, including the Governor, MPs and ministers, participated in polling and appealed to citizens to exercise their franchise in large numbers.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, after casting his vote in Ranchi, highlighted the importance of municipal elections in ensuring development at the grassroots level. He urged voters to elect representatives who work for public welfare and reminded citizens that voting is a constitutional responsibility.
Godda MP Nishikant Dubey voted in Deoghar along with his family and encouraged people through social media to take part in the polls. While raising concerns about the ballot paper system, he reiterated his faith in BJP-supported candidates.
Hazaribagh MP Manish Jaiswal termed the election a key step towards cleanliness, transparency and development, urging voters to prioritise voting before all else.
Ministers Sudivya Kumar and Shilpi Neha Tirkey also exercised their right to vote, calling upon young voters to participate actively and support capable leadership.
Union Minister Sanjay Seth criticised the election process, alleging irregularities in ballot management, even as he queued up like an ordinary citizen to cast his vote.
Voting is being held across nine municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils and 19 nagar panchayats. The results will be declared after counting on February 27.
With inputs from IANS