The Assembly polls in Karnataka, expected to play indicator to the national politics, passed off more or less peacefully on Sunday. The fate of the first BJP Government in the south is now sealed in the ballot boxes till May 8.
The Opposition Congress is hoping to come back to power after a gap of eight years, while Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has tried his best to keep his party in the lead.
Karnataka witnessed about 65 per cent polling, though official estimates are not yet out. Voters’ apathy continued in Bangalore Urban constituency, with only about 45 per cent of the 71-lakh population voting, despite high expectations.
Some poll surveys have predicted an anti-incumbency swing against the BJP and feel the Congress is the single largest party within striking distance.
According to analysts, JD(S) is hoping to break new ground beyond its stronghold in the old Mysore region, while KJP is aiming to play spoiler to BJP’s chances. Both fancy themselves as ‘kingmakers’ in the event of a fractured mandate.
Two exit polls have given Congress full majority, with BJP losing more than 50 per cent of its share. Chanakya Mail Today has given 152 to Congress, a swing of 52 seats, with BJP losing 72 seats. They have also predicted 38 for JD(S) and 15 for KJP and others. CVoter exit poll has given Congress 110 to 118 and BJP 51 to 59 losing seats. They have given JD(S) 26 seats and KJP nine to 13, with 7-11 for others.
Of the 224 Assembly segments, 223 went to polls on Sunday and will decide the fate of many senior politicians cutting across party lines. Shettar of the BJP, leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, Congress State president G Parameshwara, lingayat strongman and KJP president BS Yeddyurappa, JD(S) State president HD Kumaraswamy, BSR-Party president B Sriramulu and many others are biting their nails as these elections are expected to spring a surprise.
Elections for the Periyapatna constituency of Mysore district was countermanded following death of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Sannamoge Gowda on April 29. Polling will take place there has on May 28 now. Additionally, one seat in the Assembly is reserved for a nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community.
Seer of the famous Tumkur-based Siddaganga Mutt Shivakumar Swamy (106) was among the early voters. Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Ministers M Mallikarjuna Kharge and M Veerappa Moily, Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara, BJP State unit president Prahlad Joshi and Karnataka Janatha Paksha supremo BS Yeddyurappa were among those who voted in the initial hours.
Congress leader and former MP from Karnataka BK Hariprasad and BJP general secretary and Bangalore South MP Ananth Kumar stepped out early too for the elections, with extended hour till 6 pm. There was tight security and copybook arrangements by the Election Commission.
Political polarisation, however, is largely expected. Corruption and bad governance were struggled to find space in a political arena surcharged with caste and money.
The ruling BJP, hoping to consolidate its position under the leadership of Shettar, is waging a tough battle as Yeddyurappa is expected to be the spoiler. According to Professor Suresh Misra of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Delhi, even though there was no wave for the Opposition, the Congress may benefit from negative votes.
He feels Yeddyurappa’s lingayat consolidation and BSR Party’s snatching away of some votes will benefit the Congress.
In a high-voltage contest, tempers too ran high, though major violence was averted. In Kolar, Congress workers clashed with supporters of independent candidate Vartur Prakash, also a Minister in the BJP Government.
A knife fight was prevented. According to reports, four people were arrested.
A tiff was also reported between a voter and an on-duty policeman at a Bellary booth, with the former sustaining minor injuries. This led to protests by a section of the electorate there, according to sources. At a couple of places, including in Mahadevapura segment in the city, polling was delayed by a few minutes following malfunctioning of electronic voting machines.
At a polling station in Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district, poll officer MC Mahendra died of cardiac arrest soon after voting began. An alternative officer was immediately appointed. A voter, Mahadeva Shetty, also died due to cardiac arrest in Ramasamudra village in Chamarajanagar district.