About 35% polling reported till 1 pm in Karnataka by-polls
Bengaluru, Nov 3 : About 35 per cent voting was recorded Saturday during the first half of polling for the by-polls to three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka.
While the Lok Sabha constituencies of Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya have recorded 30.20, 35.72, 26.80 per cent voting, respectively, till 1 pm, the assembly segments of Ramanagara and Jamkhandi reported 39.81 and 43.50 per cent respectively.
Voting began at 7 am will go on till six in the evening. A total of 54,54,275 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in about 6,450 polling stations.
There are 31 candidates in the fray in the five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JD(S) combine and the BJP.
Counting of votes will be held on November 6.
Though the turnout was low during the initial few hours after polling began, it improved as the day progressed, officials said.
Barring reports about delay in voting due to technical issues at a couple of places, polling in all the five constituencies have been by and large peaceful so far, the officials said.
The by-elections are being seen as a litmus test for the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition as its outcome is expected to have a bearing on the state's political scenario.
The Congress and the JD(S), who came together in a post-poll alliance after the assembly elections in May threw up a hung House, have decided to face the polls unitedly against the BJP, which they perceive as their common rival.
While the Congress has fielded its candidates in Jamkhandi and Ballari, JD(S) is contesting in Shivamogga, Ramanagara and Mandya under an electoral understanding.
Among the prominent candidates in the fray is Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife Anita Kumaraswamy, who is expected to have a smooth sail as she is facing virtually no-contest in Ramanagara after BJP nominee L Chandrashekhar withdrew from the contest and rejoined the Congress, in a jolt days before the polls.
The BJP had lodged a complaint with the Election Commission about the development in Ramanagara and requested it to "annul" the elections immediately.
In Jamkhandi, Congress candidate Anand Nyamagowda, son of former MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, is pitted against Srikant Kulkarni of the BJP.
State BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra is testing his fortunes in Shivamogga against another former chief minister S Bangarappa's son Madhu Bangarappa of the JD(S).
Yeddyurappa and his family members were among the early birds to cast their vote at Shikaripura in the constituency.
In Ballari, senior BJP leader Sriramulu's sister J Shantha is contesting against V S Ugrappa of the Congress, considered an outsider.
In the Vokkaliga belt of Mandya, JD(S)'s Shivarame Gowda, is pitted against a fresh face in Dr Siddaramaiah, a retired commercial tax officer from the BJP.
The by-elections have been necessitated after Yeddyurappa (Shivamogga), Sriramalu (Ballari) and C S Puttaraju of JD(S) (Mandya) resigned as MPs on their election to the assembly in May this year.
Bypolls to Jamkhandi assembly seat was caused by the death of Congress MLA Siddu Nyamagouda, while Ramanagara fell vacant after Kumaraswamy gave up the seat preferring to retain Chennapatna, the other constituency from where won.
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Will implement women's reservation, no power can stop us: Rajnath
Vasudevanallur (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday slammed the Congress and DMK over the defeat of the amendment bill regarding the Women's Reservation Act in Parliament but said the government was determined to implement it and that "no power in the world can stop us," from doing so.
Addressing a poll rally in support of BJP candidate from Vasudevanallur, Ananthan Ayyasamy here in Tenkasi district for the April 23 Assembly polls, he lashed out at the ruling DMK over corruption and urged people to "give it a farewell" in the hustings.
"Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought a bill in Parliament to ensure 33 per cent reservation for our mothers and sisters in Parliament, assemblies and councils. The DMK, Congress, TMC and Communist parties did not allow it to be passed. Still, I would like to assure, on the basis of the PM's resolve, that we will certainly give 33 per cent reservation for women and no power in the world can stop us," the senior BJP leader said.
In a major setback to the BJP-led Central government, a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures from 2029, along with increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, was defeated on Friday.
Lashing out at the DMK over corruption, Singh said some Tamil Nadu ministers were under the radar of central probe agencies such as the ED and the "TASMAC scam" was an example of how "deep-rooted" corruption was in the state.
"The DMK government is playing with the lives of poor people. Corruption allegations have become a pattern in the DMK government. The time has come to raise your voice against this corruption and give farewell to the ruling dispensation," he said, while batting for the AIADMK-led NDA in the state.
Further, the people of Tamil Nadu were known for their faith and anyone trying to mock Sanatan Dharma "will fall before the eyes of the people."
Touching upon the Thirupprankundram lamp lighting row, he charged that despite a court order, the DMK government did not allow devotees to light a lamp atop a pillar (Deepathoon) there.
If the NDA is voted to power, the lamp lighting tradition will be allowed and "this is NDA's guarantee," Singh assured.
Further, slamming the "rampant" availability of illicit liquor in the state, he said the NDA government will form local units to tackle the menace.
Also, Singh claimed that Tamil Nadu's debts stood at Rs 11 lakh crore. However, he alleged this money was not being used for public welfare and that it was "going into the pockets of DMK leaders."
"Our government will probe everyone and punish the guilty," he added.
He also dismissed DMK's allegation of "discrimination" by the Centre against Tamil Nadu vis-a-vis funds, saying PM Modi has given Rs 11 lakh crore so far.
Further, only two states--Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, have been given the defence industrial corridor.
Escalating his attack against the ruling party, he said DMK in Tamil meant "Dushprayogam (misuse of power), Muraikedu (irregularities), Kutram (crime). The NDA, on the other hand, stands for "Nalan, Nyayam (welfare, justice), Development and Amaithi (peace)," he said.
"Today in Tamil Nadu, law and order is weak and the common man does not feel safe. TN people want development and bid farewell to DMK," he added.
