Political parties, which were pinning their hopes on the Bengaluru voter will have to think again as the capital of the state, incidentally the IT-dominated belt, recorded a poor turnout with just 44 per cent. The constituencies in Bengaluru were increased from 16 to 28 and several parties had pinned their hopes on the urban voter, who was capable of making a difference to the electoral fortunes of political parties.
This probably is the worst that Bengaluru has recorded in the past several elections. The average turnout in the Bengaluru constituency has always been somewhere between 55 and 60 per cent, which itself is low.
Mysore, the other urban area which was part of the first phase of the elections, too recorded a poor turnout with just 54 per cent. Poll pundits attribute the poor turnout in urban areas to the indifference on the part of the middle and upper middle class voters. It is also said that a majority of the Bengaluru population is from outside the state and hence this could be one of the reasons for the low voter turnout. Another major reason that has affected the turnout in both urban and rural Karnataka is the lack of poll buzz. Several leaders on Saturday said that it was the dullest election ever.
Voting was maximum in the Vokkaliga belts of Ramnagar, Mandya, Hassan and Chikkaballapur, where the Janata Dal-Secular are pinning its hopes. The poll percentage was highest in the Ramnagar constituency, where former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy is seeking a re-election.
Photograph: Vicky Nanjappa
Photo Caption: Party workers outside polling booths helping voters.
Also read: K'taka election: Crorepatis galore!
Advertisement
