Council elections for Karnataka’s 23 seats register 96.3% polling
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Dec 18: The Biennial elections to 23 seats from 19 local authorities’ constituencies to Karnataka’s Legislative Council recorded a high turn out of 96.3 % on Friday and the poll process was by and large peaceful.
However, the voting percentage in 2003 elections was even higher at 98.46 %.
Out of the total 93,678 voters, 90,209 voters had exercised their franchise in 5553 polling stations in 19 constituencies.
A total of 93 candidates, including 10 sitting MLCs, are in the fray. Counting will take place on December 21.
According to preliminary reports, the constituency-wise percentage of polling is: Bidar - 99, Gulbarga – 95, Bijapur - 96, Belgaum - 95, Uttara Kannada - 98, Dharwad - 97, Raichur - 96, Bellary - 97, Chitradurga - 99, Shimoga - 98, Chikmagalur - 98, Hassan - 95, Tumkur - 95, Mandya - 95, Bangalore Urban - 98, Bangalore Rural - 95, Kolar - 96, Kodagu – 93 and Mysore – 95, according to Chief Electoral Officer C S Suranjan.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Union Minister for Labour Mallikarjun Kharge, former Chief Minister and MP Dharm Singh, BJP MPs H N Ananth Kumar, Venkaiah Naidu, and several ministers in the State government cast their votes.
However, Union Minister for External Affairs S M Krishna, former Chief Minister and MP H D Kumaraswamy, MPs M Rajasekaramurthy, justice Rama Jois, M A M Ramaswamy, MLCs Chandrashekar Kambar, S R Leela, D S Veeraiah, V R Sudarshan, K V Narayanaswamy did not cast their votes.
Prominent candidates in the fray are: Former Ministers Veerkumar Patil, T John, Basavaraj Patil Humnabad, former MLA Mahima Patel, former Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board D M Sali, State Labour Minister B N Bache Gowda’s brother B N Gopala Gowda and S Ravi, relative of State Congress Working president D K Shivakumar and film producer E Krishnappa.
Father-sons vote: JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda and his son H D Revanna, MLA, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his son B Y Raghavendra, MP, and MLAs M Krishnappa and Priya Krishna excerised their franchise.
Two candidates from the undivided Dakshina Kannada district — Srinivas Poojari (BJP) and Pratapchandra Shetty (Congress) — have already been declared elected unopposed.
A total of 21 candidates of the ruling BJP, 16 of the Congress, eight of the Janata Dal (S), one each of the Janata Dal (United) and Kannada Vatal Paksha are in the fray.
It is reported that a few members of local bodies boycotted elections in Basavana Bagewadi and Indi in Bijapur district and at Kadampura booth of Mundargi taluk in Gadag district citing lack of development work in their villages.
In many places, voters have displayed their ballot papers and choice of candidates while casting their votes and posed for lensmen and video-cameras.
The ruling BJP has set a target of winning at least 15 seats in a bid to gain majority in the Upper House. At present, the BJP does not have majority in the 75-member Upper House.
While the Opposition Congress and JD(S) have 28 and 13 members each, the BJP has only 28 members. The House has three Independents and a JD(U) member while one seat is vacant.