Hyderabad: Oscar-winning music composer, Padma Shri MM Keeravani cast his vote in the Telangana Assembly elections, in Hyderabad’s Jubilee area on Thursday.
After casting his vote MM Keeravani told media, “Everyone should utilise their voting power. This is not a holiday. Voting is our responsibility. Everyone should exercise that right. I came first and voted to inspire everyone and I am happy to vote.”
He wore a white-green shirt with pants for the day.
Notably, polling began amid elaborate arrangements in all 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana on Thursday morning.
Voting began at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm.
As many as 2,290 candidates from 109 national and regional parties including 221 women and one transgender are in the fray.
Their fate will be decided by a total of 3.17 crore voters.
A total of 103 legislators are re-contesting this time, most of them from the ruling Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS).
Voters would exercise their franchise at 35,655 polling stations set up across the state.
For the first time in Telangana, a home voting facility is being provided to persons with disabilities and voters above 80 years of age.
Home voting for citizens aged over 80 years and persons with disabilities has also been made available, with about 27,600 voters enlisted to avail of the service on Thursday. About 1,000 other voters have also registered for the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System.
Meanwhile, ace music composer MM Keeravani was recently felicitated with the National Award.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to Keeravani at the ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in the capital. Keeravani won the Best Background Score for director SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’.
He is most known for his compositions in films such as ‘Kshana Kshanam,’ ‘Gharana Mogudu,’ ‘Allari Priyudu,’ ‘Criminal,’ ‘Subha Sankalpam,’ ‘Pelli Sandadi,’ ‘Devaraagam,’ ‘Annamayya, Zakhm,’ ‘Student No.1,’ ‘Jism,’ ‘Paheli,’ ‘Sri Ramadasu,’ ‘Magadheera,’ ‘Eega,’ ‘Baahubali,’ and ‘RRR.’