Published 19:56 IST, April 11th 2019
WATCH | ‘Worst day for me as an Indian citizen,’ Ram Charan’s mother-in-law Shobana Kamineni fumes after her name goes missing from the voter's list
When an election is being held in seven phases for 543 seats and with the high stakes on, it’s rare that everything goes smoothly as per the plan. WATCH | ‘Am I not an Indian citizen?’ Ram Charan’s mother-in-law Shobana Kamineni fumes over her name being missing from the voter list.
When an election is being held in seven phases for 543 seats and with the high stakes on, it’s rare that everything goes smoothly as per the plan. The death of two workers of the TDP in a clash with YSRCP on the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls was a proof of this. Another common grouse of some voters during the elections is those who reach the polling booths and find their names is missing. Such an encounter took place with Shobana Kamineni, daughter of Apollo Hospitals’ founder Prathap C Reddy and mother-in-law of Telugu star Ram Charan in Hyderabad. Kamineni, who serves as an Executive Vice-Chairman on the group, shot a video venting out her anger, asking if she is not an Indian citizen and calling it a 'crime.'
“This is the worst day for me as an Indian citizen. I was travelling abroad, I came back because I wanted to exercise my franchise and I come to the booth and I’m told that my vote is deleted. Am I not an Indian citizen? Is my vote not important? This, I think, is a crime. This is a crime against me as a citizen and I will not tolerate it,” Kamineni fumed in the video.
Her daughter Upasana Konidela, wife of Ram Charan, shared the video on Twitter and wrote that her mother couldn’t vote despite her name being on the voter list 10 days ago. “My mom @shobanakamineni wasn’t able to vote today. She checked 10 days ago and her name was on the list ! Now it’s deleted !! She pays Tax !doesn’t she count ? Isn’t she valued as an Indian citizen ? #frustrated #furious #disappointed.”(sic)
Earlier in the day, Upasana, Ram Charan and the actor’s parents, veteran actor-politician Chiranjeevi and Surekha had voted in Hyderabad.
Twenty states with 91 seats went to polls during the Phase I of the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday. The polls will see seats from where high profile candidates (including Union Ministers) are fighting.
Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju, VK Singh, Mahesh Sharma, Hansraj Ahir, Agatha Sangma, Mukul Sangma, Harish Rawat, Ajay Tamta, Jayant Chaudhary, Satyapal Singh, Nabam Tuki, Renuka Chowdary, Nama Nageswara Rao, Chirag Paswan, Asaduddin Owaisi are some of the key candidates contesting polls during Phase I. The remaining six phases are spread till May 19, before the results are announced on May 23.
Updated 20:21 IST, April 11th 2019