How top Karnataka assembly constituencies fared in voter turnout
The polling percentages across Karnataka vary and tell a different story.
The overall polling percentage in Karnataka assembly elections is 72.13%, which was up from the 71.45% recorded in 2013.
Not unexpectedly, Bengaluru disappoints, with Bengaluru Urban polling only 51%, lower than the 57.33% polled in 2013.
In constituencies in and around Bengaluru, there have been significant variations. Bangalore South saw a mere 47.45% voting, while Bangalore Rural witnessed 78.25% voting. The South is considered “old Bangalore” and saw 56.03% in 2013 while Bangalore Rural was just 57.33%.
Dakshina Kannada, where there is an intense battle between the BJP and the Congress, the polling percentage was 72%, down from the 74.48% in 2013. The fear here could be that the traditional BJP supporters might not have come out to vote, indicating a tough battle.
Chamundeswari and Varuna are two constituencies that have been in the news because of their VIP status as chief minister Siddaramaiah and his son’s constituencies respectively.
Chamudeshwari saw 75.97% turnout while Varuna saw 78.08%. Does that augur well for the chief minister and a good initiation of his son into electoral politics? We will know on May 15.
The two constituencies fall in the electorally significant Mysore region, which saw 66.88% voting, up from the 65.83% last time.
Gulbarga has seen a significant fall in voting. Only 56.03% in 2018 to the 63.75% witnessed previously. The constituencies of significance here comprise Afzalpur, a bastion of six-time MLA, Malikayya V Guttedar, who defected from Congress to the BJP recently. The polling in Afzalpur was 68.31% against the 67.89% it saw in 2013.
The other important constituency is Jewargi where former chief minister Dharam Singh’s son Ajay Singh is contesting on a Congress ticket. The polling percentage was 67.57% in Jewargi against the 73.29% last time.
Leader of the Congress legislative party in Lok Sabha Malikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge is contesting from Chittapur (SC), which saw 58.06% this time against the 65.11% previously.
With high voting percentages in the seats of the two chief ministerial contenders, it looks like they will at least win their own seats.