New Delhi: Polling for the Karnataka Assembly ended at 6 pm on Wednesday and the overall voter turnout till 5 pm was recorded at 65.69 per cent, informed the Election Commission (EC).
Further, according to the EC, the highest polling till 5 pm was recorded by Chickaballapur district at 76.64 per cent, while the BBMP (South) district recorded the lowest at 48.63 per cent.
“I’ve voted and done my duty towards democracy. It’s a privilege to vote in my constituency. I will win by a record margin. People of Karnataka will vote for positive development and BJP will get a comfortable majority. I urge people to cast their vote,” said CM Bommai after voting with his family.
Expressing his happiness over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s campaign, he appealed to people to vote for the development of Karnataka.
“I am very happy with the way our party conducted the campaign and the way people have reacted. I appeal to people to come and vote for the development of Karnataka,” he said while talking to the reporters here.
Before heading to the polling station to cast his vote, Bommai offered prayers at Gayatri Temple in Haveri.
Echoing Bommai’s views, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi who voted in Hubballi said, “I’m happy that people are celebrating this festival of democracy in a big way. People are interested to bring BJP’s double-engine government. BJP will form a government on its own.”
Union Minister and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje voted in Bengaluru. “Voters should come to polling booths and vote in high percentage and bring a good government,” she said.
Karnataka Congress D K Shivakumar dismissed a post-poll alliance with Janata Dal (Secular) JD(S) expressing confidence that his party will get an absolute majority in the 224-seat assembly.
“Here the issue is price rise, corruption, good governance and development. There are no chances of alliance with JD(S). We will form the government on our own,” Shivakumar told reporters after casting his vote here in elections to Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
Earlier in the day, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah too expressed confidence that the Congress will secure an absolute majority, saying it could get 130-150 seats.
Shivakumar further appealed to the people of Karnataka to consider “inflation” in the BJP-ruled state and come out and vote. “I am appealing to everyone, please cast a vote by looking at our gas cylinders. I have advised all my leaders to put a gas cylinder outside the booth and put a garland on it,” he said.
Taking a jibe at Shivakumar, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya responded that “at least it (Congress) is worshipping something.”
“Suddenly, the Congress party has started praying to everything – whether it is visiting Bajrang Bali temples last week or seeing God in gas cylinders,” he said.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency Jagadish Shettar voted in SBI School in Madhura colony and said he would get elected with a huge margin.
Shettar, who recently joined Congress after being denied a ticket from BJP, and Laxman Savadi, who formerly served as the deputy CM during the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government, belong to the Lingayat community which is believed to have a crucial impact on electoral outcomes in the state.
“Very good response from the people. There is an undercurrent. People from all castes, everybody is working and voting for me. Congress and Jagadish Shettar will get elected with a huge margin,” Shettar said.
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge cast his vote in Kalaburagi’s Basava Nagar and expressed happiness on a large voter turnout.
“I’ve been voting at that polling booth for the last 55 years. Seeing the enthusiasm of the people, I feel that my party will come to power and we will win with the majority,” says Kharge.
“Poor people live there and my principle is to give my vote to the poor, that is why I and my wife go there every time to give our vote,” he said.
Accompanied by his wife Radhabai Kharge, Congress national president cast his vote at a polling station in Basava Nagar at Kirti School.
Before heading to the polling station to cast his vote, Kharge said, “Congress party will win the election with a thumping majority…We will get more than 130-135 seats.”
Earlier in the day, Kharge took to Twitter to urge voters, especially first-time voters to come out and participate in the democratic process for a better future.
“People of Karnataka have decided to choose a progressive, transparent and welfare-oriented government. Today, it is time to vote in large numbers. We welcome our first-time voters to participate in this democratic process for a better future,” Kharge tweeted.
Congress leader KJ George also casts his vote and urged people to cast their votes, stating “It is the best way to participate in democracy.”
“We exercised our franchise. Have you done so yet? I urge everyone to do the appropriate thing. Go and cast your vote. It’s the best way to participate in democracy. Don’t lose your chance to be part of the change, the stability and progressive state we all wish to see. Vote to make #Karnataka strong!” George tweeted.
The high-voltage campaign for the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka came to an end on Monday as all three major political parties in the state – BJP, Congress and JD(S) – with their last chance to woo the voters.
Voting is being held for 224 assembly constituencies in Karnataka with 2,615 candidates in the fray. Polling is scheduled across 58,545 polling stations including auxiliary polling stations.
A total of 42,48,028 new voters have been registered to vote for the assembly elections. As many as 5.3 crore general voters are going to cast their vote today in 58,545 polling stations in 37,777 locations. Out of which 11,71,558 are young voters and 12,15,920 are 80+ senior citizen voters.
The counting of votes will take place on May 13.
