Mysuru: The high voltage byelections in Nanjangud (reserved) and Gundlupet Assembly constituencies which saw top political leaders zigzagging the two places with a relentless campaign which went on till polling day on Sunday, resulted in a good voter turnout of in Nanjangud and in Gundlupet.
Gundlupet registered a record polling percentage of 86.28 while Nanjangud recorded a polling percentage of 77.56. Voting went off peacefully barring a few minor stray incidents and technical glitches in electronic voting machines at a few booths. Neither the scorching summer heat which touched 35 degrees Celsius on Sunday, nor the drought with empty ponds and dry, uncultivated agricultural lands, could stop 104-year-old B.K. Maadaiah from Bada0navalu, or the Puttabasamma-Doddamade Gowda couple in their 80s at Chinnadagudi Hundi village in Nanjangud taluk, from exercising their voting right. At Gundlupet, 92-year-old ailing Devamma, wife of Basappa who voted at Hangala village, died after reached home.
Women wait in a queue at a polling booth in Gundlupet on Sunday. (Photo: DC)
Asked about the election in the middle of drought and summer, Puttasubbamma said, “Whether we like it or not, the election was here, we can’t afford to waste a single vote, it my right.” Voting which began at 7 am, was initially lukewarm with 6.5 per cent recorded at Nanjangud and 6.6 per cent at Gundlupet at 9 am.
Later, it took a big leap and touched 26.11 per cent at Nanjangud and 23.73 per cent at Gundlupet at 11 am. It was 44.98 per cent at Nanjangud and 40.04 per cent in Gundlupet by 1 pm. By 3 pm, the per centage further rose to 60.79 per cent and 59.49 per cent respectively.
Congress candidate Kalale Keshavamurthy at a booth in Kalale village in Nanjangud. (Photo: DC)
In Nanjangud, money seems to have played significant role in the byelection with voters openly confessing that money was being distributed among them like never before. The amount reportedly paid to voters, ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 2,000 per vote. At some places it was decided depending on the size of the family, according to sources.
Interestingly, the majority of the 600 plus voters in Mahadevnagar boycotted polling as they reportedly did not receive money at all with the local political leader allegedly taking money from top leaders and keeping it for himself! Only 12 of them had voted till 12 noon. However a voter of Mahadevnagar Rajamma (name changed) said, “There is no polling booth in the village and we have to go to Veeradevarapura which is over 3km from here. No transport arrangement was made nor was money given even for a coffee while those elsewhere were given Rs 2,000 per vote,” she said.
Congress candidate Geetha Mahadevprasad after voting at Halahalli in Gundlupet taluka. (Photo: DC)
A voter at Badanavalu, Seethamma (name changed) said, “We were offered Rs 400 and Rs 500 by two different parties at our doorsteps, we took money only from one party for which we voted considering the candidate’s caste and developmental work.” Another voter at Chinnadagudihundi said, “We have taken money, but we will vote only for the right candidate.” There were voters like Chinnamma at Devanuru who said, “Why should we take money? Aren’t the leaders selling themselves by offering us money? We haven’t taken money.” In Goluru, a female voter said, “Leaders in the village decide whom we should vote for.
Plaint against Kalale for poll code violation
- Congress candidate for Nanjangud constituency, Kalale Keshavamurthy voted at Kalale in Nanjangud wearing a shawl with the Congress party symbol. The polling officers registered a complaint against him for violating the model code of conduct.
- Congress candidate for Gundlupet constituency, Geetha Mahadevprasad voted at Halahalli in Gundlupet after offering pooja at the samaadhi of her husband H.S. Mahadevprasad.
- Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Niranjan Kumar voted at his native Chowdalli after offering pooja at Gavi Rudreswara Swamy temple.
- In Gundlupet constituency, a few workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress were involved in a verbal clash in Beguru in Gundlupet taluk in the morning.
- There was a minor clash at Gundlupet town between workers of the two parties, and police had to indulge in a mild lathicharge to disperse them. Two people who suffered minor injuries were admitted to a hospital in Gundlupet town.
- In Nanjangud, two party workers got into a verbal clash in Ashokpuram in Nanjangud and police had to indulge in a mild lathicharge to disperse them.
