Lok Sabha 2024: Mithun Chakraborty casts vote in Kolkata, faces protest outside polling booth

On Saturday (June 1), the voting is taking place in seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha Election 2024. Veteran actor and BJP member Mithun Chakraborty also stepped out to exercise his voting right in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Guarded by heavy security, the former Rajya Sabha MPshowed up at a polling station at Belgachia in North Kolkata. After casting his vote, the actor chatted with mediapersons as he went on to share his experience.

In a brief chat with PTI, Chakraborty shared that he came to voteas it was his duty as a citizen.

The actor cast his vote like any other common person and waited for his chance while standing in the queue for 40 minutes.

The actor added that he has finished his duty as a politicianand now will only talk about movies.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 7 LIVE: 40.09% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

“I have diligently performed my campaigning duty till May 30. Now, it is time again to concentrate on cinema and acting,” he said.

However, the actor did facea bit of trouble outside a polling booth when few Trinamool Congress activists started protesting, accusing him of influencing voters.

After the veteran star stepped out of the polling booth, few people requested him for selfies. The actor reacted calmly and took few photos with hisfans.

However, things went wrong when local Trinamool Congress councillor Debika Chakraborty also arrived at the polling station and complained that Chakraborty was trying to influence voters, reported IANS.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: After casting his vote at a polling booth in Belgachia, BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty says, "...I am a BJP cadre, I have done my duty..."#LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/jn7DPXT8i4 — ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2024

Choosing not to react to the situation, the actor exited the pollingstation quietly. He declined to comment and said, as per ANI news agency, “I have nothing to say about these things. Remember, like any other voter I stood in the queue in the morning to cast my vote.”

Earlier this year Mithun Chakraborty was awarded Padma Bhushan for his decades-long contribution to Hindi and Bengali cinema.

In the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections, several film celebrities like Kangana Ranaut, who is contesting the election from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Ayushmann Khurrana, Kirron Kher, Gul Panag stepped out to cast their votes.

(With inputs from agencies)