Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary appealed to people to come out in large numbers to cast their votes to elect a government to fulfil their aspirations with the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh commencing on Thursday morning in 11 districts.
"I request each and every one of you to step out of your houses and utilize your right to vote. Elect a government that cares about you. Please also inspire the people around you to do the same," he said.
He urged people to elect a responsible government that works for the betterment of everyone in society.
"Before casting votes, do recall what happened in the last five years in the state ...elect a government which care about you, talks about your rights, keep the society united, provide opportunities to youth, respect and protect the women and turn diversity into our strength to work for the development of state and the country," he said.
Chaudhury shared his video appeal on the RLD's Twitter handle.
Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections for 58 Assembly seats, covering 11 districts of the state, began on Thursday at 7 am.
The voting will conclude at 6 pm today.
The first phase will cover the 'Jat-dominant belt' of the western part of the state.
The districts going to the polling today include Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Hapur, Shamli, Baghpat, Aligarh, Agra and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
As many as 623 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the assembly polls while there're 2.27 crore voters.
Nearly 50,000 paramilitary personnel from 412 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed at different locations to maintain law and order as the election campaign for the first phase of Assembly polls in western Uttar Pradesh ended on Tuesday evening.
The police have sealed the borders of the State and strict security drills are underway to maintain peace in all the 58 assembly constituencies going to the polls today.
The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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