Council polls for four seats pass off peacefully, but for minor incidents in Bengaluru

Elections to four seats from graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies to the Karnataka Legislative Council in which 43 candidates are in the fray passed off peacefully on Friday, barring some minor skirmishes in Bengaluru. Of the total 3.43 lakh voters, 2.01 lakh cast their votes. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 27.

While the Congress is contesting in all four constituencies, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) are contesting in three constituencies and one constituency respectively. Of the four seats that went to polls on Friday, Congress has one seat while the BJP has three seats.

Currently, in the 75-member Upper House, Congress has 38 members while the BJP and JD (S) have 24 and 6 respectively. While five seats are vacant, one seat is held by an independent and another seat is held by the Chairman.

The Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency, where five-time MLC and former Deputy Chairman of the Upper House Puttanna is seeking re-election on a Congress ticket, has seen 81.98 % votes being polled. Out of the total 27,405 votes, 22,468 votes had been polled at the end of voting on Friday. The veteran member is pitted against A.P. Ranganath, the Janata Dal (Secular) candidate, supported by the BJP.

In the Karnataka West Graduates’ seat where sitting BJP member S.V. Sankanur is taking on former MLC Mohan Limbikai, 75.62 % votes were cast. Against the total of 97,400 votes, 73,658 voters exercised their franchise. Among the prominent politicians who cast their votes were Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and former Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti.

In the North East Teachers’ Constituency where BJP MLC Shashil Namoshi is being challenged by the Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur, 86.97 % of votes were polled. Of the 34,784 votes, 30,350 were polled, according to officials.

The Karnataka South East Graduates’ Constituency, with the highest votes among the four that went into polls on Friday, saw voting of 73.58 %. K.M. Suresh of BJP is pitted against Shashi Hulkuntemutt of Congress. Of the total 1,83,888 voters, 78,070 exercised their franchise. Sitting member Chidanand M. Gowda, who is learnt to have shown interest in contesting the Legislative Assembly election from one of the constituencies in Tumakuru district, is believed to have opted out of the contest.

The Ambedkar College premises in Bengaluru saw some drama after Rajarajeshwari Nagar legislator Muniratna’s followers almost clashed with the Congress workers alleging insult to their leader, who also sat on a dharna for some time. Following the incident, a case and a counter-case have been registered at the Annapoorneshwarinagar police station under BNS sections dealing with voluntarily causing simple hurt and unlawful assembly.

A senior police officer told The Hindu that none of the individuals involved in the melee had sustained major injuries; thus, no arrests had been made. “There was only pushing and shouting slogans against each other,” the officer said.