It is the day of the masses in Karnataka who have heard enough and are now going to speak their minds, through their votes.
As per the Election Commission report till 1 pm today, the voting percentage had soared to 37 percent.
It need be mentioned that Karnataka election is crucial for BJP and Congress both as it would decide the future of the Indian politics.
Thus both Congress and the BJP had deployed their top national leaders for the campaigning which also saw war of words on both sides.
The polling which began at 7 am at 58,546 polling stations in 222 seats, will conclude at 6 pm.
The Karnataka Legislative assembly has 224 seats but elections in two constituencies, Jayanagar and Rajarajeshwari Nagar, both in Bengaluru, have been postponed.
As for the hindrance in the voting, reports of a faulty VVPAT machine was replaced in Hubli, which had stalled the voting.
In Jayanagar, polling has been deferred due to the death of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate B N Vijay Kumar on May 4.
Likewise, in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, voting has been countermanded after fake voter identity cards were found from a flat in Bengaluru’s Jalahalli locality on May 8.
The HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular), which many commentator see as gaining from an inconclusive verdict in the Karnataka assembly elections, is looking to establish itself once again in Karnataka politics and is expected to give a tough fight to both the BJP and the Congress.
Amid voting, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said that BJP president Yeddyurappa is “mentally disturbed”.
He expressed confidence that his party will get more than 120 seats in the 224-seat assembly.
Siddaramaiah was commenting to the assertion on the part of BJP CM candidate Yeddyurappa that he will win the state election.
Siddaramaiah himself went about to vote in Mysuru district.
He also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, charging that income tax raids were ordered against Congress workers and well-wishers out of desperation because the saffron party was sure of losing the election.
