Actor Salman Khan was among the many early birds who reached the polling booth in Mumbai on Wednesday to cast his vote in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections despite increased security worries. He reached the Mount Mary School polling station flanked by a phalanx of security personnel.
Videos of the actor’s arrival soon flooded the internet, where he was seen sporting a grey tee and jeans, donning a casual yet stylish avatar, topped off with a black cap and shades. In good spirits, Salman waved at the fans waiting outside the polling booth, blowing kisses and stopping to pose for photographs with his fans.
Earlier in the day, Salman’s father Salim Khan and his brother Arbaaz Khan had also come out to vote, signifying the involvement of the family in the election.
Salman Khan’s appearance at the polls comes amid extraordinary security measures after receiving several threats against him. Most recently, a message attributed to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang warned of severe consequences related to a songwriter’s work that purportedly linked the actor to the incarcerated gangster. This marks the fifth threat Khan has received in recent weeks.
In the backdrop of these threats, Salman’s security has been considerably enhanced. On November 5, Mumbai Police informed that another warning had come from the Bishnoi gang, giving the actor two nasty alternatives: tender a public apology or pay ₹5 crore for keeping safe.
Voting for Maharashtra assembly elections began on Wednesday morning at 7 AM and will continue till 6 PM, with polling across 288 constituencies. There are 4,136 candidates in the fray, of which 2,086 are independents. The BJP is contesting on 149 seats, Shiv Sena on 81 and NCP on 59. The Congress has fielded 101 nominees while other parties, including BSP and smaller factions, are also contesting the elections. The state has about 9.7 crore registered voters.
