High-voltage election sees highest turnout in Melukote

Mandya: Melukote assembly constituency, which traditionally has been one of the constituencies that record a larger voter turnout in Old Mysuru region, has created history this election season by registering the highest turnout in the state.
The constituency had recorded more than 80% turnout during the 2013 assembly polls and 89.5% in the 2018 polls. It has now recorded a whopping 91.86%, which is attributed mainly to the high voltage campaign by JD(S) leader CS Puttaraju and Karnataka Sarvodaya Party leader Darshan Puttannaiah, who was supported by Congress.

With BJP led by Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh trying to make inroads in the Vokkaliga heartland, the heat had peaked up in the segment, contributing to the highest polling.
Of the 2,00,125 voters, 1,8 2141 have voted here. This includes 1,695 electorates who voted through the postal ballot. Women voters have surpassed male voters in the segment.
Melukote has witnessed political rivalry between Karnataka Sarvodaya Party and JD(S). The KSP was earlier spearheaded by former MLA KS Puttannaiah, the farmer leader who had a huge fan base not only in Melukote but across Old Mysuru region. KSP was supported by Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS). After the demise of Puttannaiah, the party is led by his son and engineer Darshan.
Unlike earlier when JD(S) and Congress locked horns in the segment, the political situation in Melukote has changed after Darshan forayed into politics. He turned it into a direct fight between JD(S) and KSP. Congress extended support to Darshan in 2018 and 2023.
Former JD(S) minister and former MP CS Puttaraju has been a dominant force since 2004. Except in the 2013 polls when he lost to Puttannaiah, he has represented the segment.
Darshan Puttannaiah attributed the voter enthusiasm to people’s desire to pick the right leader. He told TOI that voters queued up at polling stations and voted against JD(S). He accused JD(S) leaders of trying to intimidate voters, which has added to their desire to go out and vote. “As politicians, it is our duty to unite people and not divide them based on political ideologies,” he stated.
Puttaraju said the constituency, which had seen peaceful elections for many years, has now witnessed minor violence as Darshan Puttannaiah was misguided by people around him. He contended that rowdy elements were active during Wednesday’s polling, which led to minor violence. There was a lapse on the part of the police as they had not banished some of the rowdy elements in the constituency despite several requests, he said.