Congress’ Puttanna campaigns in Bengaluru
The West Graduates’ constituency has 14 candidates, while 13 are in the fray in North-East Teachers’. In Bengaluru Teachers’, JD(S) candidate AP Ranganath is challenging Puttanna, who has won the seat five times. Bengaluru: Amid allegations of voter inducement in elections to four Karnataka Legislative Council seats scheduled for Friday, three incumbent MLCs — two from BJP and one from Congress — are hoping to retain their seats, while candidates in the South-East Graduates’ constituency are seeking their maiden victory. Congress and the BJP-JD(S) alliance have concluded their intensive campaigns across all four constituencies, with party workers making a final push to mobilise voters Thursday till late in the night. NDA workers are reaching out to voters seeking support for Ranganath. Four other candidates are also contesting. Congress is making concerted efforts to defeat Namoshi through Sharanappa Mathur in North-East Teachers’ and Sankanur through Mohan Limbikai in West Graduates’.
Bengaluru Teachers’ has 27,456 voters, while North-East Teachers’ has 34,784. West Graduates’ has 97,402 voters, and South-East Graduates’ has 1,83,893. Polling will be held from 8am to 4pm Friday. Govt has declared a holiday for eligible teachers and graduates to exercise their franchise but most private educational institutions in these constituencies are expected to function with teachers who are not voters. Meanwhile, legislative council opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy Thursday accused Congress MLC Puttanna of allegedly distributing coupons and other gifts to voters under the pretext of Dasara greetings.
Counting will take place on Tuesday.