Karnataka did not see cent per cent voting for the presidential polling as two legislators skipped voting on Monday. Of the 225 voters, which included an MP, 223 members cast their votes in the elections in which NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind and UPA nominee Meira Kumar are battling it out.
Both the absentees are from the Opposition Janata Dal (S), which had pledged its support for the UPA candidate. While rebel JD (S) MLA N. Cheluvarayaswamy did not turn up as he is on a trip to the U.S., his party colleague Y.S.V. Datta could not make it to the polling centre in Vidhna Soudha due to the demise of his sister.
The principal Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party ensured that all the 48 MLAs from it’s fold as well as other independents cast their votes within 90 minutes of commencement of polling. In fact, BJP member C. T. Ravi was the first to exercise his franchise when the polling began.
The polling was not without political tussle as rebel JD (S) MLAs came to polling centre along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Angered by this, JD (S) State President H. D. Kumaraswamy said the episode was a clear indication of the ruling Congress trying to politically finish off the JD (S) under Mr. Siddaramaiah’s leadership. “On the one hand, the Congress wants our support for various national issues. On the other, they try to suppress us. But I want to make it clear that it will not be possible for any one to politically finish us off,” Mr. Kumaraswamy told The Hindu .
Chikkodi MP Prakash Hukkeri was the only MP who cast his vote from Karnataka as other MPs had chosen to vote in New Delhi in the wake of the parliamentary session beginning from Monday in the national capital.
The electoral college from Karnataka comprised 224 MLAs (barring the nominated Anglo Indian MLA) and an MP.
After polling, the ballot box was taken to Delhi by the representatives of the Election Commission. Returning officer for Karnataka and Legislative Assembly Secretary S. Murthy and two other officials were also part of the team that left for New Delhi along with ballot box. The counting will be held on July 20.
Four wheel-chair bound voters
Four MLAs including a minister came on wheelchairs to exercise their franchise for the presidential polls held in Vidhana Soudha on Monday.
While Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy and BJP MLA S. R. Vishwanath used wheelchair due to leg injury, Congress MLA Rudresh Gowda came on wheelchair due to illness.
Cine actor-turned politician M. H. Ambareesh too used the wheelchair as he reportedly felt tired. Interestingly, he stood up from the wheelchair after entering the polling centre and used it again to return to his vehicle after casting the vote.
