Mangaluru: The Urban Local Body polls kick-started on Tuesday morning across the state in as many as 14 ULBs. Five other ULBs are witnessing by-polls.
Two City Corporations- Mangalore City Corporation and Davangere City Corporation; six City Municipal Councils- Kanakapura, Kolar, Mulabagilu, KGF, Gauribidanuru, Chinthamani; three Town Municipal Council-Magadi, Birur, Kampli; three Town Panchayats: Jog-Kargal, Kundagola, Kudligi are going into polls.
Meanwhile, Holenarasipura TMC (ward no-4), Kollegal CMC (ward no-19), Chadachana TP (ward no-5), Mahalingapura TMC (ward no-17), Chittapura TMC (ward no-10) are witnessing by-polls.
The results of these elections will be out on November 14.
Mangalore City Corporation in Dakshina Kannada district has 60 wards. As many as 180 candidates are in the fray.
Davangere City Corporation in Davangere district has 45 wars and 208 candidates are in the fray.
In Mangaluru, though polling began around 7 am, even by 1 pm the voter turn out was at a meagre 39.50 per cent. The polling percentage rose to 46 per cent till 3 pm. Meanwhile, a total of 20 third genders cast their votes in Milagres Higher Primary School. Entrepreneur Sudheer Ghate casting vote despite ill-health and oxygen pipes still attached left eyebrows raised.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel
MP and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel cast his vote at St Aloysius Higher Primary School, Urwa at around 8.30 AM. After casting his vote, he expressed his confidence of securing power in Mangaluru as well as Davanagere. He opined that the cold war between the Congress leaders prevented them from doing good work for the people when they were in power.
“The people are fed up with that and want to replace them with the BJP. The smart city projects were also not implemented properly in the MCC limits. Hence, all the BJP candidates will secure a win in this election,” he said.
MLA Vedavyas Kamath
Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath arrived in Gandhinagar and cast his vote at around 8.40 AM. Before casting his vote, he was seen standing in the queue with his wife. After having cast his vote, the MLA expressed his confidence in the BJP securing power in the MCC with full majority.
“I have seen a good response from the voters during our election campaign and even during the initial voting hours. I have attempted and undertaken several development works after I become MLA and such works will speed up after our BJP candidates secure a win in the MCC election,” he added.
Former MLA J R Lobo
MLA J R Lobo cast his vote at St Sebastian Higher Primary School, in Bendur. He was seen standing in a queue, waiting to cast his vote.
MLC Ivan D’Souza, BJP workers clash
Heated words were exchanged between BJP workers and Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza, when the former questioned the latter’s presence in front of the Jeppu polling booth. Accusing the MLC of trying to sway the voters, the BJP workers said that they would call their leader MP Nalin Kumar Kateel to the scene as well.
The altercation was cut short by the intervention of the police.
Octogenarian casts vote with help of family, cops
Two polling booths in the Bangra Kuloor and Boloor (16 and 17) wards were set up at Dakshina Kannada ZP Model Primary School, Kodikal, and a large number of voters were seen at the polling booth at around 11 AM.
Over 11,000 voters come under these two polling booths. An 86 year old woman, Vilasini Bhaktha arrived at the polling booth with the help of her family members to cast her precious vote. The police also assisted her in her important task.
Davangere
Davangere City Corporation witnessed a voter turn out of 38 percent till 3 pm. Congress Leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa cast vote at the MCCB block polling booth in Davangere city. He said that the Congress will sweep the polls and retain power at the Corporation.
Kolar
Three City Municipal Councils went in for polling today. Kolar CMC witnessed 38.45 pc polling till 1 pm; Mulabagil witnessed 46.68 pc, KGF CMC witnessed 33.57 pc. All the three CMC witnessed 37.81 percent polling
.JPG)
