Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut talks about drop in voting percentage

As the polling percentage dropped in both Haryana and Maharashtra compared to the last Assembly polls, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said political parties do not address the "real issues" which are there in the mind of people.

Talking to , Raut said that the decrease in voter turnout percentage is a "matter of concern".

"This means that even today 50 per cent of voters don't want to exercise their right to vote. Political parties and leader do not address the real issues which are there in the mind of people. There are different issues on which elections at various levels are contested," he said.

"If it is Lok Sabha, then we should talk about national issues like poverty, Pakistan, Article 370, Triple Talaq, national security and corruption among others. But when we come to state, then we have drought situation, inflation and even unemployment," he added.

Asked about the issues of abrogation of Article 370 and Ram Temple in Assembly elections, Raut said, "What will you do by raising issue of Pakistan in state Assembly elections? People know Centre's policy on Pakistan, they have voted for us on that issue... They voted for us in Lok Sabha polls on Ram Temple. But issues of Vidhan Sabha are different."

Haryana and Maharashtra recorded a voting percentage of 68.47 and 61.2 respectively in recently held Assembly elections.

( With inputs from ANI )