The Rich and Famous Vote in India's Election
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Established 1961 T 21 L i f e s t y l e Fe a t u r e s Tuesday, April 30, 2019 Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan (right), wife Jaya and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Indian Bollywood actor Aamir Khan (right) along with his wife and film director Kiran Rao. Indian Bollywood actor Prem Chopra. Rai Bachchan (left) pose for a picture after casting their vote at a polling station during the fourth phase of general election in Mumbai yesterday. — AFP photos The rich and famous vote in India’s election illionaires and Bollywood stars urged Indians to go Ambani has regularly spoken in support of Modi’s BJP out and vote as they took their turn with Mumbai’s government and the Reliance Industries tycoon’s son, Bmillions of slum dwellers yesterday to cast ballots Anant Ambani, attended a recent Modi rally. Yesterday’s in the world’s biggest election. India’s film and finance voting in nine states will be particularly crucial for Modi’s capital took center stage in the fourth of seven rounds of chances of securing a second term after his landslide win the mammoth democratic exercise due to wrap up on in 2014. More than three dozen seats were at stake in May 19 with results expected four days later. At least Indian Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. 40,000 police and security personnel were deployed across the megacity of 20 million people while workers were given a holiday to vote for Mumbai’s six lawmak- ers. Twenty-six of the 10,000 polling stations were staffed by women only. Media scrums were set up at the stations where India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, Bollywood super- stars including Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, as well as Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar voted. “It’s a very proud and happy day for all of us today. Happy voting day everyone,” Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan said alongside his director wife Kiran Rao at a school in the plush Bandra area. “This is the moment that matters.... Every vote is a voice that counts,” tweeted Priyanka Chopra Jonas, husband of US star Nick Jonas, alongside a selfie of herself showing indelible ink on her finger nail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and their partners Shiv Sena, a Hindu chau- vinist party, together won all of Mumbai’s seats at the last elections in 2014. They also won all but a handful of seats in Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital. Now former MP Priya Dutt, a member of one of India’s most famous acting families, is trying to make a come- back for the opposition Congress party in the city. Actress Urmila Matondkar is also running for Congress. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan states, all Indian Bollywood actor traditional BJP Hindu strongholds. Shahrukh Khan (right) Defeats suffered by the ruling party in three recent Indian Bollywood actor Salman Khan. Indian Bollywood actor and film director arrives along with his wife state elections have raised Congress hopes that it can eat Ajay Devgn. and film producer Gauri into the government’s majority. Modi’s party won 282 of Khan (left) and their son the 543 seats contested last time but analysts say this AbRam (center). election will be closer. Congress has hit out at Modi’s handling of the economy, the failure to produce promised jobs and massive debt in rural India which has seen thou- sands of farmers commit suicide. The 68-year-old prime minister, still seen as the frontrunner, has increasingly relied on his tough security stance and his nationalist credentials. At a rally in Mumbai on Friday, Modi said only his BJP government can guarantee safety for the city, the scene of militant attacks 10 years ago. “Modi is confident those who strike with terror on this city will be hunted down. That is how a city and that is how a country is run,” said the prime minister who has given himself the nickname of “the watchman”. Heavy security has been deployed across the country for the election and police baton- charged rival BJP and followers of the regional Trinamool Indian Bollywood actress and National Congress candi- Congress party in West Bengal state, officials said. date for Mumbai north constituency Urmila Matondkar. Fighting broke out in the Asansol constituency over security at polling booths, said Amit Jyoti Bhattacharya, The concernsTycoon ofbacks the rich Congress and famous-Ambani candidate and his a spokesman for the state election commission. family live in 27-storey luxury high-rise-were far from Trinamool Congress activists surrounded the car of the ordinary voters in line however. “The most pressing local BJP candidate Babul Supriya and smashed its issue for Mumbaikars is unemployment and rising costs windows. “Police used batons to control the situation,” of living,” shop trader Jignesh Shah told AFP as he the spokesman added. — AFP queued in the suburb of Chembur. “As a middle class family it gets really difficult when real estate costs are so high and transportation is a mess,” the 56-year-old added. About 60 percent of Mumbai’s population live in slums. At the other end of the wealth spectrum, Ambani Indian Bollywood actress Vidya Balan. Indian Bollywood actress Deepika has raised eyebrows by backing the opposition Congress Padukone. candidate in his Mumbai constituency, although the BJP is not standing in that seat. Actor from young mobster film stabbed in Naples teenaged actor who appeared in an The actor was stabbed twice while his Childhood and Adolescence, 6.5 percent of award-winning film about child crimi- friend was beaten. Neither suffered life-threat- youngsters in Naples-home to the feared Anals in Naples has been stabbed in the ening injuries. Police believe the youngster may Camorra crime group-belong to baby gangs. Italian organized crime stronghold, media have been set upon because of his role in the Anti-mafia author Saviano has lived under reported yesterday. Ukranian 18-year old film, which won the Silver Bear for Best armed guard since publishing his international Artem Tkachuk played one of the gun-wield- Screenplay at the 69th Berlin film festival in bestseller “Gomorrah” in 2006. — AFP ing, drug-peddling teens in “Piranhas”, based February and is coming to European cinemas on a novel by renowned investigative journalist this summer. Italy’s far-right League party is In this file photo actor Artem Tkachuk (left) and mafia expert Roberto Saviano. Tkachuk backing a bill to tackle the baby-gang phe- and cast member pose on the red carpet was attacked by a so-called “baby gang” in the nomenon, which would lower the age of crimi- ahead of the screening for the film ‘Piranhas’ early hours after a night out last week with a nal responsibility in the country from 14 to 12. (La Paranza dei Bambini) at the 69th friend, national dailies said. According to the National Observatory on Berlinale film festival in Berlin. — AFP.