Polls to four MLC seats in Karnataka today, 49 candidates in the race

BENGALURU: Karnataka is all set for elections to four MLC seats on Monday. The polling will be held between 8 am and 5 pm and the counting of votes will take place on June 15. In all, 2,84,922 teachers and graduates are expected to exercise their franchise in 607 polling stations. 

As many as 49 candidates, including four women, are contesting the polls, while representatives of three major political parties, BJP, Congress and JDS, too are in fray. BJP and Congress have fielded one candidate in all the four constituencies -- North-West Graduates, South Graduates, North-West Teachers and West Teachers. JDS is fielding candidates for all the seats, except the North-West Graduates. The results are important for the BJP government to retain its majority in the 75-member Upper House.

The elections have been necessitated as the terms of BJP’s Hanamant Nirani (NW Graduates), JDS’ KT Srikante Gowda (South Graduates), BJP’s Arun Shahpur (NW Teachers) and JDS’ Basavaraj Horatti (West teachers) are ending on July 4. Former Chairman of the Legislative Council Horatti is now contesting as a BJP candidate. 

A tough fight is likely between Arun Shahpur of BJP and former Congress MP Prakash Hukkeri in NW Teachers’ constituency. In South Graduates’ constituency, former MLC MV Ravishankar from BJP, Madhu G Madegowda from Congress and HK Ramu from JDS are in fray.