Both BJP, Cong feel ‘good’ voter turnout in Karnataka favourable

Bengaluru, April 28 (IANS) Both, the BJP and Congress, are confident that the “good” voter turnout in Karnataka’s 14 Lok Sabha seats, which went to the polls on April 26, is favourable for them.

Karnataka has recorded 69.56 per cent turnout on April 26, according to the Election Commission. Barring Bengaluru’s three parliamentary seats, all constituencies in the state witnessed over 70 per cent voting.

While state BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra is claiming that the voting has been done in the favour of the BJP-JD(S) alliance, the Congress is saying that ground reports are suggesting that its seat tally will be greater than that of the BJP.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the polling said that he had spoken to the candidates and district in-charges and all of them had given him a positive feedback.

Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar thanked the voters and said that his party would surely win seats in double digits.

Shivakumar also claimed that JD-S is saying that the BJP leaders have “not cooperated in Mandya and Hassan Lok Sabha constituencies and dharma of alliance was not followed. In the Bengaluru Rural seat as well, BJP leaders have not supported the JD(S)”.

Both BJP and Congress are confident about winning the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, where the contest was primarily between former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s grandson Prajwal Revanna and Congress’ Shreyas M Patel. The constituency witnessed a 77.68 per cent voter turnout.

The strengthen their claims, BJP and JD(S) sources claim that the Vokkaligas won’t desert their “unquestionable” leader Deve Gowda. In addition to this, they are sure that a large chunk of Lingayat votes in Kadur, Sakleshpur, Belur and Arasikere assembly constituencies have come in support of the NDA candidate following the MCA student Neha Hiremath murder case.

On the other hand, the Congress says that Prajwal Revanna had lost his chance after a scandalous pen drive against him surfaced before the election.

In Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha seat, the BJP is confident of retaining the seat while the Congress is hopeful that the caste card will divide votes and its candidate Padmaraj will create history. The parliamentary seat saw 77.56 per cent turnout.

The Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha seat has registered a 77.15 per cent voter turnout and both the national parties are claiming to win the seat.

For the Chitradurga (reserved) Lok Sabha seat that registered 73.3 per cent polling, the Congress sources say their party will win the seat because of the overwhelming support of Dalits, backwards and minorities, who have a significant presence in the constituecy. Also, they claim that the party is benefitted by the internal strife within the BJP. The BJP, on the other hand, is relying on the Lingayat vote bank and is hopeful that it will emerge victorious.

For the Tumakuru Lok Sabha seat, BJP sources say that the charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reputation of BJP candidate V. Somanna as a person who delivers will help the party to win. The Congress, on the other hand, is claiming that oppressed classes, minorities and Vokkaligas have voted for the party. The constituency witnessed a 78.05 per cent voter turnout.

With the high-profile Mandya seat seeing a turnout of 81.67 per cent, both NDA and Congress are claiming that the trend showed support for them.

Supporters of JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy say that the trend showed absolute support for him while the Congress claims that the Vokkaliga vote bank, which is decisive in the segment, is standing behind Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, and thus its candidate will win from the seat.

BJP and Congress insiders agree that there is a tough fight between the two parties in Chikkaballapur and Kolar Parliamentary seats, and the margin of victories will be low.

For Bengaluru, the BJP claims that its dominance in three seats of the IT city will continue while the Congress says that results will surprise the rival party.

–IANS

mka/sha