Over 71 per cent voters exercised their franchise on Wednesday in the byelection to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the Bellary (rural) constituency. This is said to be highest voter turnout in the last two decades in this constituency.
The polling was peaceful amid heavy security arrangements. The constituency has an electorate of 172,128 voters and when the polling ended, reports said 71.65 per cent of the voters had cast their votes. The constituency had registered 54 per cent polling in the 2008 assembly elections and 58 per cent in the last Parliament elections.
Former minister in the Yeddyurappa cabinet B Sriramulu is in the fray as an
Independent and he is facing a strong challenge from Gadilingappa of the ruling BJP, Ramprasad of Congress and four other independents. The by-poll had been necessitated by resignation of B Sriramulu who had been elected on the BJP ticket in 2008.
Sriramulu decided to quit after being excluded from the cabinet formed by D V Sadanand Gowda. The new dispensation did not include Sriramulu as his name figured in the Lok Ayukta report over illegal mining cases.
The Janata Dal (S) has not fielded its candidate and is supporting Sriramulu. The by-poll had attracted nationwide attention as the legislators and MPs from Bellary district elected on the BJP ticket had supported Sriramulu, a close confidante of mining barons Reddy brothers. For Karnataka’s BJP unit it as a major challenge and the entire cabinet camped at Bellary to campaign for its nominee Gadilingappa. Money and liquor flowed freely despite the election officers claiming that stringent measures had been taken to contain the influence of money and liquor.
Moka hobli witenessed hightest voter turn out with 85 per cent voter casting their vote while sensiste Cowl Bazaar area which had neven seen more than 50 per cent voter turn out in the past registered 60 per cent voting on Wednesday. Electronic voting machines were used for the polling.
The counting of votes will be on December 4. The outcome is expected to change the political fate of either B Sriramulu and the Reddy brothers or the BJP government in the state. The BJP which has won all the by elections in last two years is for the first time facing the prospect of a set back.