Nothing Stops Him: Pune Man, With Multiple Fractures And 5 Surgeries, Votes In Elections

Vikram Pardeshi, a 44-year-old Pune resident, demonstrated exceptional determination by casting his vote in the Maharashtra Assembly elections on Wednesday, despite suffering multiple fractures while saving a man from a 40-foot fall just weeks earlier.Pardeshi, a trained life-saver with the Rashtriya Life Saving Society, was injured on October 3 while attempting to rescue a man who had fallen from a balcony. While he successfully saved the man, he fell during the rescue and sustained multiple fractures. Following five surgeries, Pardeshi was advised to take complete rest. However, the election was something he could not miss.Arriving at the polling station in a wheelchair, with his limbs heavily bandaged, Pardeshi faced the additional challenge of an uneven ramp but was undeterred. "Nothing can stop me from voting," he said resolutely. "If I don't vote, I shouldn't expect any change, and I shouldn't complain," Pardeshi told TOI.Despite his injuries, Pardeshi's commitment to voting underscores the importance he places on his civic duty. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of individual determination.As polling concluded on Wednesday, exit polls largely predicted a victory for the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra, while some gave an edge to the MVA coalition. The MVA, which includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar's NCP, is hoping to maintain its momentum ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's NCP, is aiming to retain power.Provisional figures showed an estimated 65% voter turnout in the Maharashtra assembly elections, a notable increase from the 61.74% recorded in the 2019 state polls.(Inputs from PTI)