Cheteshwar Pujara to encourage Rajkot youth to vote

RAJKOT: Saurashtra cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara, who is also an ambassador of the Election Commission in Gujarat, will encourage youth to cast votes during the upcoming assembly elections on December 9 and December14. He will interact with youths from Rajkot at three to four locations in the last week of November at events organized by the Rajkot district election officer.

Rajkot district collector and election officer Dr Vikrant Pandey told TOI, "Pujara has agreed to interact with the youth. He will encourage them to actively participate in election process and cast their votes."

The events will be organized at colleges and youngsters of nearby educational institutes will be invited to participate. During the programme, youngsters will be allowed to ask questions to Pujara regarding cricket, his career, his life and his likes and dislikes.

According to the district officials, "Youth are interested in asking many questions to cricketers and celebrities. When we give them such open forum, more youngsters participate."

The Rajkot district collectorate has also made a short film with Pujara to create awareness about the election process and encourage voting. "The one-minute short film will be aired on television and posted on all social media platforms," Pandey said.

On Saturday, before the cricket match started between India and New Zealand at Saurashtra Cricket Association's stadium at Kandheri, Pujara led the audience to pledge to exercise their franchisee and encourage others to do so.