- Mumbai registered a record 55% voting on Tuesday. It is the highest voting for a BMC election in 25 years. 9 other cities including Thane, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur too recorded higher turnouts.
India Today-Axis My India Exit Poll for BMC
The highlights of the exit polls are:
- Shiv Sena will emerge as the single largest party with 86-92 seats
- BJP will be close to Sena with 82-88 seats
- Both parties likely to get 32% votes each
- Congress likely to get 16% votes and 30-34 seats
- MNS likely to get 8% votes
If the numbers are to be believed, it will be a huge gain for the BJP. As the half way mark is 114, Shiv Sena and BJP will need to come together.
The same poll predicts:
- BJP may win Pune, where NCP has been ruling
- Shiv Sena will retain Thane Municipal Corporation
- BJP will retain Nagpur Municipal Corporation
The biggest loser everywhere is Congress, says the exit poll.
We Demand An Inquiry: Shiv Sena
Speaking about the several cases of missing voters’ names in electoral rolls across the states today, Shiv Sena leader speaks to the press:
11 lakh voters in Marathi areas were missing; we demand an inquiry.Anil Parab, Shiv Sena leader
Talking of sabotage, Congress allegedly has faced an attack too– but from within the party. Senior leaders in Mumbai Congress had been upset as their preferred candidates were denied tickets. Gurudas Kamat and Narayan Rane had expressed their anger in public and didn't campaign until last week.
Soon after the exit poll results, Mumbai Congress Chief Sanjay Nirupam says:
Many Congress leader acted against [the] party; I will demand action against them now.Sanjay Nirupam
Entry To Polling Booth Closes
Entry to polling booths closed at 5:30 PM, according to EC directives. However, polling by voters who have joined the queues before this deadline, continued beyond 7pm at several places. Kilometer-long queues dominated booths across the city, with many offices allowing employees to go vote only after 3 PM. This also led to a problem of crowd-management at many booths.
Violation of the Model Code of Conduct
Nitin Kubal, an independent candidate was caught on camera allegedly ushering in a group of his voters just before 5:30 PM, the time limit to enter a polling booth. He is campaigning under the banner of Swaraj India, the newly formed party under Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan. Kubal has three pending criminal cases, according to his candidature form.
An eye-witness testimony has surfaced of a group of 20 Shiv Sainiks openly campaigning in Colaba on the day of polling, against the Model Code of Conduct imposed by the EC.
Ward 17 Candidate Asks For A Re-Election
Meera Kamath, an independent candidate from Borivli and a social activist has written to the Election Commission asking for a re-election from her ward. This year the State EC has taken to displaying all details, including criminal information of candidates at polling booths. Kamath alleges that wrongful information about her has been displayed fabricating a two-year punishment by the judiciary, “with ulterior motive and ill intention.”
Kamath further alleges that incorrect voters’ lists have been provided to her so as to deliberately confuse her volunteers at polling booths and prevent them from guiding voters. She claims access to the amended lists were denied to her, as well.