Karnataka polls: 52 mn voters set to choose new government
4 min read . Updated: 09 May 2023, 11:45 PM IST
PremiumThere are 58,545 polling booths across the state and more than 8,000 in Bengaluru, according to Meena. The EC has deployed 84,119 police personnel, including 2,959 special personnel, for the elections.
Bengaluru: After a high-energy, month-long campaign, Karnataka’s 52 million voters prepare to cast their ballots on Wednesday as a total of 2,430 candidates compete for 224 seats, with any party needing at least 113 to form the government.
For nearly four decades, the state has consistently voted against re-electing the majority incumbent. This time, the BJP aims to break this trend, backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s extensive campaigning. Meanwhile, Congress banks on the momentum it has built over the past year to secure a majority. In the event of a fractured verdict, the JD(S) aspires to play the role of kingmaker.
The campaign in the state was shaped by five broad issues—corruption, unemployment and price rise, promises to tweak the state’s reservation framework, comments targeting Modi, and the Congress’s manifesto likening the Bajrang Dal to the Popular Front of India and promising a ban.
Even though campaigning in the state ended on Monday, the Congress party continued to attack the BJP over corruption. Hours before the election, a Congress leader lodged a complaint against the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai alleging malpractice in issuing a tender for emergency medical services.
Based on allegations by the Karnataka Contractors’ Association, alleging that BJP leaders and officials take 40% of the tender amount as a bribe for state-funded infrastructure projects, the Congress is hoping for anti-incumbency votes to help the party win a majority.
The Karnataka State Contractors’ Association appealed to the people to cast their vote in accordance with their conscience, while reminding them that corruption has reached frightening levels in the state.
“The 40% commission in public projects has already claimed the lives of several contractors; the public too is forced to live with defective, dangerous, and life-threatening infrastructure… Democracy works when people cast their votes in accordance with their conscience. Corruption deeply hurts our collective conscience," read the letter.
BJP spokesperson Ganesh Karnik said that the complaint against the CM and the letter by the contractors’ association is a desperate attempt by the grand old party. “They are scared of losing the election and out of desperation making these allegations that are baseless," he said.
Congress leaders on the other hand visited temples, in what appeared to be an attempt to negate the backlash over its poll promise of banning the Bajrang Dal. KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar visited Mysuru less than 24 hours before the commencement of polling for the Assembly elections and proceeded to Chamundeshwari temple along with the former chief minister Siddaramaiah.
Later he offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in Bengaluru.
“People have blessed us to form the government in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah and I have come to Chamundeshwari to offer our prayers. We are confident that with the blessing of the goodness and the people of the state, we will form the government," he said. “I also want to announce that in the first cabinet meeting, we hold after the election, we will pass the five main poll promises we have announced," he told media in Mysuru.
He was referring to the series of welfare schemes, which they claim would provide temporary relief from increasing prices. The five promises so far include stipends for unemployed youth, ₹2,000 payments for women heads of families, 200 units of free electricity, ten kilograms of rice for the poor and free bus ride for women.
The BJP’s campaign was led by Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and former CM Yediyurappa, who stepped away in 2021 but played key roles in ticket selection and campaigning.
In an interview with a TV channel on Tuesday, Bommai said that there is no anti-incumbency against him. “If the Congress thinks so, let them. But our party will come to power," he said. When asked if he will become the chief minister again, he said: “Whether or not I become the chief minister, my party will come to power."
The JD(S) which hopes to be kingmaker again is largely focused on retaining its stronghold of Old Mysuru, which comprises 52 seats, and safeguarding its traditional vote base, the Vokkaligas. Its poll promises include Matrushree and women empowerment programmes, including loan waiver for women self-help groups and five free cylinders a year besides enhancement of widow pension.
Meanwhile, Elaborate security arrangements have been made, and a large workforce of election functionaries have been deployed to hold the polls, chief electoral officer of Karnataka Manoj Kumar Meena said.
“We are fully prepared. Almost 30,000 polling stations are covered through webcasting, which will be directly telecasted to the Returning Officer’s chamber. The other polling stations will be covered by the micro-observers, who are the Central government employees, or the paramilitary forces," Meena said.
There are 58,545 polling booths across the state and more than 8,000 in Bengaluru, according to Meena. The EC has deployed 84,119 police personnel, including 2,959 special personnel, for the elections.
The Election Commission has also released the ‘Chunavana’ mobile application that will provide all information related to the elections for the convenience of voters. The app will offer user’s polling booth location, navigation to the polling booth, candidate information, polling officers’ details, the queue at the polling station on a real-time basis, available parking space and nearby emergency facilities, the CEC said, stressing that this would help tackle urban voter’s apathy.