Mysuru: A newly married couple, Girish and Latha, walked straight from their wedding hall to the polling booth to cast their vote in Sampaje village of Madikeri taluk in Kodagu on Thursday, but in Chamarajnagar, tragedy struck as the 48- year- old principal of the Hanur government PU college, Shantha Murthy, who was the polling officer of a booth, died of a cardiac arrest during polling.
Most of the rural women and old men, and many first -time voters even in Mysuru city did not know who their candidates were. Those who were aware of them, were divided between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Congress.
In fact, it was an election between former Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah and Mr Modi for most voters, especially women and old men in Kadkola village of Chamundeswari in the Mysuru- Kodagu constituency.
But in Nanjangud town and Nagarle village in Chamarajanagar, the people were clear that their vote was for “Prasad” (veteran leader , Srinivasprasad of the BJP). “My vote is for Prasad as it means voting for Modi for PM,” said Rajesh (name changed) a youth in Hoskote village, of Varuna constituency.
“Modi has brought change in the past five years and he can do more good over the next five years,” argued Sujatha (name changed)of Mysuru.
Meanwhile, 250 farmers of Aaloor and surrounding villages of the Suvarnavathi river catchment area in Chamarajanagar taluk boycotted the polls in protest against the poor supply of water for their summer crops and villagers of Nerale Hosur in H D Kote of Chamarajnagar constituency also stayed away as their polling booth was 4 km away from their village and in protest at the absence of basic amenities in the village. Tribals of Billenahosahalli in Hunsur taluk too stayed away from polling to protest the absence of basic facilities like transport, road, water and electricity in their village. Embarassingly for the JD(S), although most of its workers joined hands with the Congress in both constituencies, some were seen backing the BJP in a few booths in Chamundeswari.
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