Caught red-handed: BJP, Congress workers handing out cash for votes in Bengaluru

A heavy police presence, the EC's flying squads and state surveillance teams aside, political parties were still able to buy votes in Bengaluru South as Karnataka went to polls Saturday, an India Today investigation showed.

BJP and Congress activists were caught on camera handing out Rs 500-600 per vote just outside polling booths.

India Today's investigative journalists filmed the electoral bribing between 10 am and noon in Bengaluru South, where Congress party's RK Ramesh and the BJP's sitting MLA M Krishnappa were in the fray.

At a polling booth in Nalini Raghunatha Rao Degree College, a Congress activist was seen inspecting IDs before issuing chits and Rs 600 in cash to voters approaching him for money.

"I have two slips and two votes," inquired a man. "Please go and vote. Then bring your wife and I will give you money for her vote as well. You don't worry," replied the party worker.

When a woman voter complained about not receiving cash, the activist informed her that he had paid the money to her husband. "Your husband knows me from a very long time."

The scene was no different at a booth in Bengaluru South's Government Urdu Higher Primary School.

A supporter of the incumbent BJP MLA was heard shouting "vote for Modi" while delivering cash.

He looked at election IDs, issued slips from a mobile printer and handed Rs 500 to voters.

On its part, the Election Commission announced this month that it had deployed around 1,500 flying squads backed by more than 2,000 state surveillance teams in Karnataka to check any electoral malpractices or code violations ahead of today's vote.

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