'Festival of democracy,' Nitin Gadkari urges people to cast their votes in Maharashtra polls

Calling the Maharashtra assembly elections a festival of democracy, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday urged people to come out and cast their votes in large numbers.

"Today is the biggest festival of democracy. I urge people to come out and practice their right to vote and strengthen the country's democracy," Gadkari said outside a polling booth in Nagpur after casting his vote.

The Union Minister also expressed confidence that Devendra Fadnavis will be the next chief minister of Maharashtra.

"I am confident that BJP, Shiv Sena and Republican Alliance will get a record victory and Devendra Fadnavis will become the next chief minister as well," he said.

Gadkari said that in the last five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government have done a lot of work in the country and the state respectively.

He also tried to dissuade people from choosing NOTA, saying it is not good for qualitative improvement in a democracy.

Voting for 288 constituencies in Maharashtra began today at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm. The counting of votes will take place on October 24.

Of the 288 seats, BJP is contesting on 164; this includes candidates of smaller allies contesting on its lotus symbol, while its key ally Shiv Sena has fielded 126 candidates in the state.

The Congress has 147 candidates in the fray while its ally NCP alliance is contesting 121 seats. The alliance has left the rest of the seats for its smaller partners.