Karnataka elections: Polling for first phase today

The first phase of polling covering a total of 89 out of 224 assembly constituencies in Karnataka will be held across eleven districts of the state today.

An estimated 17.3 million will decide the political fortunes of 950 candidates in the fray for the first phase of polling covering the southern region of the state historically known as old Mysore region.

Voters will exercise their franchise through electronic voting machines (EVMs) between 9 am and 5 pm at the 18,562 polling booths.

The second and third phases of the assembly elections will be held on May 16 and 22, covering central and northern parts of Karnataka.

The Election Commission has drafted more than 100,000 polling officials, besides 55,000 security personnel to ensure a “free and fair” polls in the eleven districts including Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu, Hassan, Tumkur, Kolar, Ramanagara and Chikkaballapur districts.

The stakes are high for the Congress in the first phase of polls in Old Mysore region as a majority of the pre-poll surveys had predicted the grand old party to fare better than its rivals BJP and JD (S). The outcome of the polls in the region holds the key to the Congress party’s prospects of forming the next Government.

Former Chief Minister S M Krishna, who is the chairman of the Congress party’s campaign committee, expressed confidence of coming back to power in the state.

Krishna, who returned to his native Maddur in Mandya district after a gruelling campaign to cast his vote during Saturday’s polling, said the first phase of polling was crucial for the party to secure a decisive mandate.

Notwithstanding the disappointing pre-poll predictions, the BJP is making a determined bid to win the elections. “Our internal survey suggests that the party will win anywhere between 119 to 129 constituencies out of the 224 assembly seats”, said senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu.