Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges leaders, stars to boost voter turnout

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released a series of tweets to those thought capable of influencing public opinion, to urge the public to vote in large numbers.

On Wednesday he requested the Chief Ministers across the country, including Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and leaders like YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, to work towards ensuring a large voter turnout in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Tweeting to people in general, Mr Modi said: “Urging you all to strengthen voter awareness efforts across India. Let us all ensure that maximum number of Indians come out to vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.”

In one tweet to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former UP Chief Ministers Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and DMK’s M.K. Stalin and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Mr Modi said they should “encourage increased voter participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. A high turnout augurs well for our democratic fabric”.

Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav promptly tweeted back: “It was heartening that the Prime Minister is also appealing Maha Gathbandhan to Maha Parivartan. I also request all Indian citizens to vote in the maximum number and select the new Prime Minister.”

In another tweet to Chief Ministers K. Chandrase-khar Rao, N. Chandrababu Naidu, Naveen Patnaik, H.D. Kumaraswamy and YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the prime minister said they should “work towards bringing maximum Indians to the polling booths in the upcoming elections. May voter awareness efforts be strengthened across the length and breadth of India”.

In a tweet to sports celebs P.V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth, Mr Modi said, “The core of badminton is the court and the core of democracy is the vote, Just like you smash records, do also inspire a record breaking voter turnout. I request you to increase voter awareness and motivate the youth to come out to vote in large numbers.”

In a separate tweet to cricketers M.S. Dhoni and Virat Kohli, Mr Modi said, “You are always setting records on the cricketing field but this time, do inspire the 130 crore people of India to set a new record of high voter turnout in the upcoming elections. When this happens, democracy will be the winner.”