Hyderabad-Karnataka region records moderate polling

Kalaburagi: The three Lok Sabha seats of Hyderabad-Karnataka region, Kalaburagi, Bidar and Raichur, registered moderate voting on Tuesday.

Barring minor incidents of violence at a few of places and voting machine glitches, polling was peaceful. According to official sources, Kalaburagi, where veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge is fighting to score a hat-trick of victories in his Lok Sabha campaign, registered a voting percentage of 56.86.

In Raichur where Congress’ sitting MP B.V. Naik is fighting BJP’s Raja Amareshwar Naik, the voting percentage was 57.76, nearly one per cent below the 2014  election percentage of 58.42.

However in Bidar, where KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre is battling BJP’s sitting MP Bhagwanth Khuba, the voting percentage was higher than  other two constituencies in the HK region. Till 7 pm, Bidar recorded a percentage of 61.31 which is likely to go up as all those who have already entered the polling booths before the closing time of 6 pm, will be allowed to vote. It is said that these three constituencies registered moderate voting percentage in view of the scorching heat conditions.

At Chintaki village in Aurad taluk, police lathicharged some youth who tried to disrupt the polling process by raising slogans in favour of BJP. Reacting to this, some Congressmen too are said to have raised slogans leading to a wordy duel between them. The police rushed to the spot and lathicharged them. They have also registered cases against BJP workers.

In Surpur, a Congress agent damaged a VVPAT claiming that voters were being asked to vote for the BJP. Agent Gurunath has been arrested.

In Kalaburagi,  Congress workers raised slogans and tried to prevent BJP candidate Umesh Jadhav from entering a pollng booth on KBN Darga Road. However, police chased them away.

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