Karnataka: Claims of cash changing hands mar Council polls

BENGALURU:  The biennial election to the Karnataka Legislative Council from two graduates and teachers constituencies each went off peacefully on Monday, recording an average polling of 73.25 per cent overall. The electorates from graduates and teachers community exercised their franchise in about 607 polling stations set up across four constituencies in 11 districts of the state amid sporadic incidents of cash being allegedly distributed at some places against the votes.

The counting of the votes will be held on Wednesday with the prestige of the ruling BJP dispensation, led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, being at stake. The teachers constituencies witnessed good response as both the seats witnessed over 80 per cent polling compared to the graduates constituencies.

The West Teachers constituency, from which the former chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraja Horatti has been seeking election for the 8th consecutive term, has recorded as high as 84 per cent. The electorates -- teachers from Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Gadag and Haveri districts -- showed enthusiasm to exercise their franchise. The prestige of Horatti, who was with the JD(S) and jumped to the BJP to contest the polls, is also at stake.

The North West Graduates Constituency recorded as low as 59 per cent polling with lukewarm response from the graduate votes from Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts. But the electorate of the North West Teachers’ constituency showed zeal as an average polling of 80 per cent has been recorded.
The South Graduates MLC seat, comprising the electorates of Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajnagar and Hassan districts, where there was an intense fight between the candidates of the three major parties and also the independents, recorded 70 per cent of polling.

The elections to the four seats of the Upper House have been necessitated as the term of BJP’s Nirani Hanamant Rudrappa (N-W Graduates) and JDS’  K T Srikante Gowda (S-Graduates), also BJP’s  Arun Shahpur (N-W Teachers) and JDS’ Basavaraj Horatti (W-Teachers)  came to an end on June 4.
The government had declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Monday.

Polling  percentage

North-West Graduates Constituency 59
South Graduates Constituency 70
North-West Teachers Constituency80
West Teachers Constituency84

BJP, CONGRESS ISSUED TOKENS TO VOTERS: KRRS
Mysuru: KRRS state president Bagalapura Nagendra on Monday alleged that the BJP and Congress issued tokens, Rs 2,000 to voters, in HD Kote taluk. In Chamarajanagar district, Congress MLA C Puttarangashetty expressed dissapointment regarding the quality of the pen provided to mark the preferential votes on ballot papers.

Hukkeri aides caught luring voters
Vijayapura: Three aides of Congress candidate Prakash Hukkeri were allegedly caught red-handed by officials on election duty, while luring voters with money on Monday. Following this, BJP candidate and sitting MLC Arun Shahapur demanded the suspension of Congress candidate from the polls.

FIR against BJP MLA for poll violations
Belagavi: A first information report (FIR) has been filed against five people, including Belagavi North MLA Anil Benake and two corporators,  at APMC police station in the city on charges of violation of the model code of conduct on Monday. The FIR was registered against Benake, Corporators Shreyas Nakadi and Sandeep Jeergyal, his followers Pravin Patil and Mohan Hugar.