Bengal groom Uttam drove in a decorated car to his constituency in Raiganj to vote
For a newly-wed groom in Bengal, it seemed like voting is more important than wedding rituals and his new bride as he drove in his decorated car to reach his polling booth a day after his marriage. Many rituals are still pending, he says.
Talking about his newly-wedded wife, the groom, Uttam, said she too voted at her maternal house this morning. Dressed in a traditional Bengali kurta, worn mainly during weddings, the groom said he will get his new bride home after the pending rituals are completed.
The groom got married at 8pm on Wednesday at Kaliaganj and this morning he drove his wife to the polling booth for her to vote before driving 20 kms to reach his constituency in Raiganj to cast his vote.
Calling the elections nothing short of a festival, the newly-wed groom urged everyone to vote saying it is our "duty".
On asked if people should vote even on their wedding day, Uttam said voting is a must irrespective of everything.
"Polling booth is a not a battlefield. Everyone should exercise their right to vote," Uttam concluded.
Raiganj is a star constituency with many big names in the race. CPI-M's Mohammed Salim is taking on former Union Minister and Congress nominee Deepa Dasmunsi, BJP state General Secretary Debasree Chaudhuri and Trinamool candidate Kanaia Lal Agarwal.
Bengal voted in Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Raiganj today in the second phase of elections. Voting across 5,390 polling stations began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
Raiganj recorded 61.84% turn out till 3pm, while the overall polling percentage was 65.43% in Bengal.
Elections will be held in five other phases on April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Polling for the Cooch Behar and Alipurduar constituencies took place in the first phase on April 11.
Results will be declared on May 23.