Mumbai, May 13 (UNI) An average of 6.45 percent of 2.28 crore voters cast their votes in the first two hours across 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra on Monday.
The western, north and Marathwada region of state began voting at 7 am amid tight security.
By 9 am, Nandurbar recorded the highest voting with 8.43 percent, followed by Aurangabad 7.72, Raver (7.14), Jalna (6.88), Shirdi (6.83), Beed (6.72), Pune (6.61), Jalgaon (6.14), Maval (5.38), Ahmednagar (5.13) and Shirur with lowest 4.97 per cent turnout.
Long queues were seen since morning at different polling stations.
Early voters included Ravindra Dangekar (MVA-Pune), Amol Kolhe (NCP-SP -Shirur ), Adalrao Patil (NCP-Shirur), Nilesh Lanke (NCP-SP-Ahmednagar).
Besides, Raosahab Danve(BJP-Jalna), Vasant More (Pune), Sandipan Bhumre (Shinde Sena-Aurangabad), Sadashiv Lokhande (Shinde Sena-Shirdi), Murlidhar Mohal (BJP-Pune) and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat and Chandrakant Khaire(UBT-Aurangabad).
Sanjog Wagere (UBT-Maval), Sujay Vikhe Patil (BJP-Ahmednagar), Sriranga Barne (Shinde Sena-Maval), Dr Heena Gavit (BJP-Nandurbar) and Karan Pawar (UBT-Jalgaon) also voted.
Imtiaz Jaleel (AIMIM-Aurangabad), Bajrang Sonawane (NCP-SP-Beed), former minister Eknath Khadse, Raksha Khadse (BJP-Raver), Eknath Khadse, Sriram Patil (NCP-SP-Raver), State opposition leader Ambadas Danve also cast their votes in their respective constituencies.
Union Minister of State for Railway Raosahab Danve expressed confidence that he will win with a 4 lakh margin from Jalna and that NDA will win 45 plus seats in Maharashtra bringing back Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third term.
Danve was won previous five lok sabha elections continuously since 1999.
There are 298 candidates in fray and the Election Commission has appealed to voters to cast their votes early amid rising heat.
UNI VKB/SP ING