Bengaluru: Compared to the voting percentage in the other parts of Karnataka during the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 18, Bengaluru cuts a sorry figure.
The voter turnout was the highest in Bengaluru rural at 64 per cent followed by Bengaluru South at 54 per cent, Bengaluru North at 50.5 per cent and Bengaluru Central at 49.75 per cent.
The voting started as early as 7 AM in Bengaluru and lasted till 6 PM. The candidates from various parties in Bengaluru North, South and Central constituencies had attracted a lot of publicity and interest among people.
In Bengaluru North, Krishna Byre Gowda of Congress was fielded against incumbent MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party D V Sadananda Gowda.
B K Hariprasad of Congress had given a stiff competition to BJP’s Tejaswi Soorya in Bengaluru South constituency from where former MP late Ananth Kumar has won six times.
In the Bengaluru Central constituency, Congress had fielded Rizwan Arshad against BJP’s P C Mohan.
Observers were closely watching this constituency as film actor Prakash Raj was contesting from this constituency as an independent candidate with the support of AAP. According to inputs, the contest was not easy for Prakash Raj.
The main reason for low voter turnout was attributed mainly to the long weekend beginning on Wednesday. Polling date was between two holidays- Mahaveer Jayanthi and Good Friday. IT workers have holidays on Saturday and Sunday.
Many people had left the city to enjoy this rare opportunity of five days holiday leaving the voter turnout lower than last LS elections in Bengaluru.
