A billboard of election commission featuring photographs of celebrities Buddhaditya Mohanty, Archita Sahu, Sudarshan Patnaik and Sruti Mohapatra urging people to cast their votes and (below) former mayor Ananta Narayan Jena casts his vote in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 8: A number of celebrities, including some of the youth icons who were faces of the Election Commission of India’s campaign to draw voters to booths, did not turn up at the polling booths here today.

While social worker Sruti Mohapatra could not make it to the polling booth because of a health problem, actress Archita Sahu was busy shooting. “I was unable to move. There was no way I could have cast my vote,” said the wheelchair-bound social activist.

Archita had a packed shooting schedule. Archita missed the chance to vote as she was busy facing the camera for her next flick Smile Please opposite actor Sabyasachi, who too failed to make it to the booth for similar reasons.

Deputy chief electoral officer Raghuram Iyer said the commission’s campaign featuring youth icons were meant for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. “They have no relation with corporation polls,” he clarified.

However, ace comedian Tatwaprakash Satpathy alias Pappu Pom Pom turned up at a booth in the Aiginia area to cast his vote. Another Odia actor Debasish Patra cast his vote in ward No. 37.

Actor-turned-politician Siddhant Mohapatra had his finger inked in ward No. 35. “I voted for change and hope the BJD candidate, if elected, can solve the civic problems of our area,” said Mohapatra who stays in Unit-III area. Heavyweights of different political parties also cast their votes in the city today. While chief minister Naveeen Patnaik his vote in ward No. 53 , his friend-turned-foe Pyari Mohan Mohapatra’s booth was in Saheed Nagar.

Three BJD legislators — Prashant Nanda, Bhagirathi Badajena and Ashok Panda — also cast their votes in ward No. 53, around 200 metres from Naveen Nivas.

Similarly, BJD MPs Prasanna Pattasani cast his vote in ward No. 39, while fellow MP Baijayant Panda and his wife Jaggi Mangat Panda queued up to vote at ward No. 47, where former mayor Anant Narayan Jena is seeking re-election.

After casting his vote, BJP leader Biswabhusan Harichandan said: “The people are frustrated about the poor state of development. They are missing the good work of the BJP. This time they will support our party.”

However, several key campaigners K.V. Singhdeo (BJP), Srikant Jena, Niranjan Patnaik and Jaydev Jena (all from the Congress) did not cast their votes as their names are listed elsewhere.