Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Jharkhand’s beloved cricket icon and former Indian team captain MS Dhoni was spotted at a polling booth in Ranchi alongside his wife Sakshi as they exercised their right to vote in the ongoing Jharkhand Assembly elections. The couple’s arrival at the polling station drew significant attention, with fans, reporters, and security personnel gathered around to catch a glimpse of Dhoni.
In a video captured by ANI, Dhoni and Sakshi were seen making their way through a crowd at the DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir school in Ranchi, where Dhoni smiled and interacted briefly with onlookers before casting his vote. The renowned wicketkeeper-batsman was voting in Ranchi’s prominent capital city constituency.
#WATCH | Former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni casts his vote at a polling booth in Ranchi for #JharkhandAssemblyElections2024 pic.twitter.com/tNIkwoXIiy
— ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2024
First Phase of Jharkhand Assembly Elections Sees Moderate Turnout
According to the Election Commission of India, the first phase of voting for 43 out of 81 seats in the Jharkhand Assembly recorded a 53.40% turnout by 3:00 PM on November 13. Overall, the voter turnout reached 59.28%, highlighting the importance of these elections for the state’s political landscape.
Legal Controversy and Return to IPL for MS Dhoni
Dhoni was recently involved in a legal matter in the Jharkhand High Court concerning a business dispute with former partners, Aarka Sports. He filed a case and received a notice to appear in court, drawing attention to the celebrated cricketer’s off-field ventures.
On the cricketing front, Dhoni has been retained by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the 2025 IPL season under a new auction rule that permits the retention of former Indian players who haven’t played for the national team in the past five years at a lower price. CSK retained Dhoni for INR 4 crore, with the team to be captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad. Dhoni’s return has been highly anticipated by fans, though his long-term future in cricket remains uncertain.
