File photo: PTI
HIGHLIGHTS
- PM Modi asks India's biggest stars to help increase turnout
- Tags netas, Bollywoods stars and athletes
- Lok Sabha polls to be held between April 11, May 19
Few people can expect to open their Twitter account on a Wednesday morning and discover this message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi: "Thoda dum lagaiye."
But that's how Modi asked Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar, the stars of Bollywood's Dum Laga Ke Haisha, to pitch in and make India's general election a success.
The power of a vote is immense and we all need to improve awareness on its importance.
Thoda Dum Lagaiye aur Voting ko Ek Superhit Katha banaiye.
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In fact, the prime minister is appealing to some of India's best known public figures, including some of his fiercest rivals, to help get out the vote when millions head to the polls in April and May.
His cascade of tweets to athletes, film stars and media houses like the India Today Group began with a message for Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and MK Stalin, all leaders of influential opposition parties.
"A high turnout augurs well for our democratic fabric," PM Modi told them.
I appeal to @RahulGandhi, @MamataOfficial, @PawarSpeaks, @Mayawati, @yadavakhilesh, @yadavtejashwi and @mkstalin to encourage increased voter participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. A high turnout augurs well for our democratic fabric.
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The messages, all posted on Prime Minster Narendra Modi's offical account @narendramodi, were personalised. Here is what he told the Phogat sisters, for example.
The prolific Phogat sisters, @geeta_phogat, @BabitaPhogat, @PhogatRitu and @Phogat_Vinesh manifest the best of Indian sporting talent.
We've seen you in the wrestling world.
I urge you all to support the movement to ensure greater voter participation in the 'Chunavi Dangal.'
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India will hold elections to the seventeenth Lok Sabha in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Votes will be counted on May 23.
The election is shaping up to be a contest between an NDA government widely seen as having avenged a suicide bombing in Kashmir, and an increasingly united opposition -- one that includes a Congress buoyed by strong state election performances in the Hindi belt.
Omar Abdullah, one of the politicians tagged in PM Modi's tweets, said it was good to see him appealing to celebrities to boost turnout.
At the same time, he said, "your government has consciously disenfranchised people in J&K by not holding assembly elections on time".
"The right to choose an elected government, as opposed to being governed by a handpicked nominee of the central government, is the hallmark of the sort of democracy you are tweeting about.," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
"Please give us our democratic right to choose our own government."
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