Third phase LS polls: Mayawati, Ambani early voters

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, industrialist Anil Ambani and prominent candidates like Milind Deora, Ram Naik and Akhilesh Das were some of the early voters in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, industrialist Anil Ambani and prominent candidates like Milind Deora, Ram Naik and Akhilesh Das were some of the early voters in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday.

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Mayawati, accompanied by her party candidate Akhilesh Das, cast her vote in Lucknow before setting off to campaign for BSP in Mathura, Bulandshahr and other consituencies.

Asking her party supporters to come out and vote, Mayawati said, "I always appeal to all my supporters to first cast their vote and then start their day's work. I not only preach what I say but also practice it. So I came to vote even before having tea or breakfast."

Anil Ambani jogged his way to the polling booth in South Mumbai and cast his vote in the first hour of polling while actor Sonam Kapoor, of Delhi 6 fame, was excited at having voted for the first time.

Milind Deora, the Congress candidate from South Mumbai, appealed to the young voters to cast their vote. His high-profile constituency usually witnesses a low voter turnout.

He said after the Mumbai terror attack -- which took place in Taj and Trident hotels located in his constituency-- security was a big issue.

Ram Naik, the BJP candidate from Mumbai North who was defeated by actor Govinda in 2004, said he was confident of winning the polls this time.