Bengaluru: Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa his cabinet colleagues and party leaders had every reason to beam in view of exit polls of various organizations pointing at victories in 10-12 seats, but low voter turnout in a couple of Assembly constituencies proved worrisome for them, on Thursday.
Mr Yediyurappa did not stir out of his private residence as inputs, including the pattern of voting, were flowing in through the day from general secretaries and district unit leaders from various pockets of all 15 segments. He reportedly told district leaders and state organizing secretaries to convince BJP voters to cast their votes, according to party sources.
Meanwhile, national organizing general secretary, B.L. Santhosh, too, requested party workers and voters to cast their votes before 10.30 AM and to persuade their friends to make it to the polling stations as the percentage of polling remained below 20 per cent in the beginning. District unit leaders and workers, however, sent out messages successfully through the social media in an effort to ensure an increase in voter turnout.
The reason for worry among top leaders, however, was poor voting recorded in Shivajinagar and K R Puram at 45 per cent and 47 per cent respectively at 5: 00 PM. In Shivajinagar, a segment with significant number of voters belonging to minority community, Congress candidate Rizwan Arshad could spoil the party for BJP, according to a senior leader of the party.
On his part, state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel thanked voters for turning up in large numbers in most polling stations.
He felt the voter-turnout mirrored the aspiration of people to provide a stable government and the fact that BJP-led governments in New Delhi and in the state would spur overall development of Karnataka, he added.
