Bengaluru: An estimated overall 10.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded during the first two hours, since the voting began for bypolls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka on Wednesday, election officials said.
The voting began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.
More than seven lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in about 770 polling stations in Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna, where a total of 45 candidates are in the fray.
While Channapatna recorded 10.34 per cent voter turnout till 9 am, it was 10.08 per cent in Shiggaon, and 9.99 per cent in Sandur, election officials said.
Voters, including women and elderly were seen queuing up in front of polling booths in these segments.
By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.
As many as 31 candidates are in the fray from Channapatna, while Sandur and Shiggaon have six and eight contenders, respectively.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the three segments for the smooth conduct of the polls.
The by-polls will witness a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance is in contest against the grand old party.
Among the three segments, Channapatna is considered to be a "high profile", where the contest is between C P Yogeeshwara, a five time MLA from the segment and former Minister, who joined the Congress quitting BJP ahead of nomination, and actor-turned -politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is Kumaraswamy’s son and former PM H D Deve Gowda's grandson.
BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai, is fighting Congress Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former Chief Minister in the 2023 Assembly polls, in Shiggaon.
Bharath Bommai and his father cast their vote at a polling booth in Shiggaon segment.
In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram's wife E Annapurna of Congress is contesting from the seat vacated by her husband, against, BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu, who is considered close to party leader and former mining barron G Janardhan Reddy.
Annapurna, Tukaram and other family members cast their votes at a booth in the segment.
With Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai families are in the fray in this by-poll. Both their fathers and grandfathers have served as Karnataka's Chief Ministers in the past.
Comments
hindus are quitting congress in large no , it is strictly not a good sign . more than 75% voters in congress comes from minority community . so it is clear ...Hindus have shifted their loyalty to BJP and elsewhere for BJP and JDS . BJP is making inroads into even congress bastions like chamarajnagar and hale mysore . it will definitely impact 2018 assembly . good advice for siddu ji ... be tough on islamic militants and dont encourage Jihadists and target innocent sangh parivar boys . once power comes to BJP , state and central BJP gives a deadly combination and terrorism and terrorist community dont feel safe for sure ... jai ho BJP ..
Oscar should have resigned. If he thinks he is not greedy.
As long as Mr. Oscar interfere in selecting the candidates, Congress no chance in Udupi District, He should quit now and take rest after long years staying in Delhi!!!!
Where is Oscar ???
Send Sorake to puttur and Oscar to Assam . Appoint JP Hegde as District President. to save the congress.
Sir, can you elaborate, what are the lies.......You have realised very lately the true colour / picture/heart of this Chaddis..... Even your party's inaction / impotency against the goondagiri of chaddis in earlier years , has costed you very dearly....In the Last Lok sabha election you ended up with 44 seats.... shame on the leaders who brought such credit to your party...
Jayaprakash Hegde must be laughing.....
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