Not just Panvel, entire state shows anger in record numbers

At 12399 Panvel has registered the highest number of NOTA votes in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and a citizens forum that started a campaign encouraging people to opt for this option has hailed the outcome NOTA numbers for the state stood at a whopping 701564 voters including Mumbai twice that of 2014BJPs Prashant Thakur who won the seat said he accepts the NOTA verdict and deliver the best for his people Residents of Panvel mdash the 188th constituency in the state comprising parts of Kharghar Kalamboli Kamothe and Panvel mdash had decided to go with the NOTA option in protest against lack of good roads footpaths and poor water facilityPrashant Thakur BJPMangal Kamble the 50yearold president of NGO Swachh Kharghar Foundation SKF told midday The campaign was a success Its a positive indication that people are expressing their dismay through NOTA None of the above and now the onus is on the elected representative to fulfil their demands Over 12000 NOTA votes show that our last minute campaign had the support of the public of this constituencyThis result will gradually bring a change in politics prompting political parties to accept the will of the people and in future field candidates who would really work for the people Kamble said She added that the number of NOTA votes would have definitely been higher had people from areas like Kalamboli and Kamothe had not boycotted the assembly polls over confusion created by a local ECs assistant returning officerA resident with a NOTA banner put up at the society gates File picSpeaking about her next plan Kamble said she would hand over the citizens manifesto to Prashant Thakur of BJP who won with 179109 after the swearingin ceremony She said she would work closely with Thakur to address prevailing issues Rituraj Lanjekar SKF member and Kharghar resident also said We now want our elected representative to provide us with basic amenities like road water and footpath We the citizens are willing to work closely with our representative to bring the change we demandReady to work with publicThakur who emerged winner for a third consecutive term said he was ready to collaborate with his people for the development of his constituency and that he wants to be a part of a constructive and robust system First I wish to thank the party leadership for trusting me and my colleagues from BJP and Shiv Sena who worked round the clock during the poll campaigns Thakur told middayNext I would work closely with Panvel Municipal Corporation and the planning authorities of CIDCO to make sure all parts including the rural areas get basic infrastructure he added I assure that infrastructures like road water footpath among other issues will be resolved at the earliest as we have already prepared a strategy following which we have already floated tenders Soon we will issue the work orders too Thakur saidThakur accepted the peoples NOTA verdict but he said this was not the solution But he said he would continue to work to gain back the trust of his people I have been given a chance to serve them again and I will continue to deliver my best he added The Election Commission officials told midday that out of 12399 NOTA votes around 12371 were registered on EVM machines and 28 were sent through postal ballotsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates