Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman exercised her franchise at the BES polling booth in Bengaluru on Friday and urged residents of South Bengaluru to participate actively in the electoral process.
Sitharaman expressed her satisfaction at the early turnout and emphasized the importance of stable governance, good policies, progress, and development. She noted that the public’s desire for these factors was evident in their eagerness to vote, expressing support for Prime Minister Modi’s continued leadership.
Sitharaman also criticized the Congress party for focusing on personal attacks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead of presenting positive agendas for the country’s development. She particularly highlighted their stance on property tax and inheritance tax, expressing concern that such measures would adversely affect the middle class and aspirational individuals.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: On Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda’s remark, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, “It (Inheritance Tax) directly hits the middle class. It directly hits the aspirational class. They work hard, sweat and toil of theirs are saved in small… pic.twitter.com/dK55KTQmXZ
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2024
The ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka are witnessing voting on 14 seats during the second phase. Across India, voting commenced at 7 am on Friday in 88 constituencies spanning 13 states and union territories.
The seven-phased Lok Sabha election, considered the world’s largest electoral exercise, will conclude on June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4. However, the Election Commission announced that voting in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul constituency would not take place during the second phase due to the unfortunate demise of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate.
#WATCH | Karnataka: Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman interacts with a first-time voter at BES polling booth in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/paSuoWL7Lh
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2024
With over 8.08 crore male and 7.8 crore female voters, along with 5,929 third-gender electors participating in the second phase of polls, the electoral process reflects a diverse and engaged electorate.
The first phase of voting, held on April 19 across 102 constituencies in 21 states and UTs, recorded a turnout of over 62 per cent. The upcoming phases, including the third phase scheduled for May 7, will continue to shape the political landscape of India.
