Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 13 : Actor Ram Charan and his wife Upasana Kamineni cast their votes at a polling booth in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad.
Their participation marked a significant moment during the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Several Telugu cinema luminaries, including SS Rajamouli, MM Keeravani, Chiranjeevi with wife Surekha Konidela, Jr NTR, and Allu Arjun, exercised their electoral franchise.
Earlier today, 'RRR' director SS Rajamouli, accompanied by his son SS Karthikeya, was spotted at his designated polling booth.
The father-son duo urged citizens to actively participate in the democratic process, emphasizing the importance of voting.
"Show the country that we are responsible and we do care. Please come out and vote...," Rajamouli conveyed to the media after casting his vote, echoing the sentiment of civic duty.
Similarly, Karthikeya stressed the significance of fulfilling one's voting responsibilities. "I request everyone to come and exercise your vote. It is our responsibility and we need to fulfill that...," he affirmed.
Actor Allu Arjun also addressed the media post-voting, emphasizing the gravity of the electoral process. "It's a very responsible day for us as all of us, for the citizens of this country... Please cast your vote and vote responsibly," he urged, highlighting the importance of citizen participation.
Arjun also clarified his political neutrality, stating, "I am not politically aligned with any party. I am neutral to all parties," as he encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers.
In Telangana, polling was conducted for all 17 parliamentary constituencies in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, including key battlegrounds like Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Karim Nagar, and Chevella. The electoral landscape witnesses a triangular contest among the ruling Congress, opposition BRS, and BJP, with a total of 525 candidates vying for victory.
This phase holds particular significance following the setback faced by the K Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS in the December 2023 assembly polls, where Congress emerged victorious.
Since the formation of Telangana in 2013, the BRS has maintained its dominance in state politics.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BRS secured nine of the 17 seats, with the BJP and Congress clinching four and three seats, respectively.
Today's voting marks the continuation of the democratic process, with polling taking place across 96 parliamentary seats in 10 states and Union Territories.
Simultaneously, voting for all 175 seats of the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly and 28 seats of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly commenced.
With the smooth conduct of polling in 283 Lok Sabha seats till phase 3, attention now shifts to the subsequent rounds scheduled for May 20, May 25, and concluding on June 1.
The counting of votes is slated for June 4.
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