Karnataka Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Highlights from May 7, 2024

An estimated 66.05% voter turnout was reported till 5 pm on Tuesday, for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, in 14 constituencies. 

Out of the 14 segments, the highest turnout of 72.75% was recorded in Chikkodi, followed by Shimoga 72.07%, and least 57.20% in Gulbarga. 

The segments where elections are being held are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga. 

The Election Commission on Tuesday ordered X to take down an animated video shared by the Karnataka BJP on the Muslim reservation row. 

In a letter to the nodal officer of ‘X’, the EC took exception to the non-compliance of the directive of the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer to the social media platform for taking down the video. The panel said the animated video shared by the Karnataka unit of the BJP on its social media handle was violative of the extant legal framework.

An FIR was registered against BJP president J.P. Nadda, the party’s IT cell head Amit Malviya, and Karnataka unit chief B.Y. Vijayendra in connection with this post. 

The action was taken following a complaint lodged by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) with the Election Commission and police on May 5 alleging a violation of the model code of conduct, they said. 

In the complaint, the KPCC cited a video uploaded on the social media platform ‘X’ by the official account of Karnataka State BJP which, it alleged, is operated by Mr. Malviya, on instructions of Mr. Nadda, Mr. Vijayendra and Social Media incharge - Karnataka BJP, on May 4. 

“The said video posted on social media featured animated characters of [Congress leader] Rahul Gandhi and [Chief Minister] Siddaramaiah. In the clip, the SC, ST and OBC community are portrayed as “eggs” in a nest and it also suggested Rahul Gandhi planting a big egg labelled as Muslim community. It is projected as though funds are being fed to the chick depicting the Muslim community, which then kicks out SC, ST and OBC communities,” it alleged. 

BJP has decided to complain to the Election Commission against Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, her son and Congress candidate from Belagavi Mrinal Hebbalkar and her brother and MLC Channaraj Hattiholi, for alleged violation of the model code of conduct.

The three Congress leaders were seen posing for photographers inside the polling booth in the Government Kannada and Marathi Primary School in Vijayanagar in Belagavi on Tuesday, May 7 during Phase 3 of Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.

They flashed three fingers of their right hand, which is the serial number of Mrinal Hebbalkar on the EVM. This is a clear violation of the MCC, a BJP leader said. A complaint is being drafted and will be submitted to the Election Commission officers in Belagavi and Bengaluru, a BJP leader said. 

Constituencies in North and Central Karnataka where polling is going on in Phase 3 of Lok Sabha elections recorded an average of 54.20% turnout by 3 p.m. Polling began at 7 a.m.

At 59.65%, Chikkodi continued to register the highest voter turnout, followed by Haveri (58.45%). Meanwhile Gulbarga (47.67%) saw the lowest, according to data released by the Election Commission.

The 14 seats that have gone to the polls saw an average of 41.59% turnout by 1 p.m. Polling began at 7 a.m.

Chikkodi (45.69%) and Shimoga (44.98%) saw the highest turnout, while Gulbarga (37.48%) saw the lowest, according to data released by the Election Commission.

110-year-old Lakshmi Bai Mahapure casts her vote in Kaplapur village of Bhalki taluk in Bidar district. 

In the month of January, the Revenue Department officials reached her doorsteps to provide her old age pension and other benefits, of which she was deprived for not having any documents or identity card.

Residents of Vittalapur village near Tavaragera in Kushtagi taluk of Koppal district in Karnataka boycotted the Lok Sabha elections to highlight their protest against the district administration. There are 862 voters in Polling Station No 142 in the village.

A few days ago, a pregnant woman had died at Tavaragera Community Health Centre. The villagers blamed Dr. Kaveri Shavi’s negligence for the death.

Congress candidate from Uttara Kannada district Anjali Nimbalkar took objection to BJP agents wearing party symbols and shawls near the polling booth in Khanapur in Belagavi district on May 7. She said it amounts to campaigning in the booth, and that it was a violation of the MCC.

Members of Koppad family came together to cast their votes at Noolvi village in Kundgol taluk of Dharwad district. 

Photo credit: KIRAN BAKALE

An EVM deployed at Polling Station 165 at Satanur village in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi district developed technical glitches after working for a few hours in the morning. A voter said that there was no beep sound after pressing a button in the EVM.

As per the information provided by the villagers, the machine developed a problem after 185 electors exercised their franchise till 10.30 am. It took over an hour to fix the problem forcing the voters to remain in the queues outside the polling station. The polling resumed by 11.38 am. 

Unable to tolerate the scorching temperature, some women voters returned home despite the requests from political activists to remain in the queue for some more time. 

At Polling Station 191 at Luqman College of Pharmacy in South Assembly Constituency of Kalaburagi, a voter protested against the polling staff. His contention was that somebody else had already cast his vote before he turned up at the polling station. He was found reprimanding polling staff as well as both agents of political parties inside the booth. 

There was a disturbance for normal voting because of his protest. He sat inside the polling in protest demanding that the Presiding Officer allow him to cast a “tendered vote”. 

- Kumar Buradikatti reports

Niranjan Hiremath, Congress councillor and father of student Neha Hiremath who was killed recently, and his wife Geeta Hiremath cast their votes at Bidnal in Hubballi. Speaking to presspersons later, Mr. Hiremath appealed to people to come out and exercise their choice for a stronger and better India and for ensuring overall development of the country.

The murder of 23-year-old Neha last month had fanned the communal flames during this phase of Lok Sabha campaign in Hubballi-Dharwad, with the BJP leveraging it to further the Hindutva narrative in the North Karnataka region.

Former minister and rebel BJP leader K.S. Eshwarappa, contesting for Shivamogga as an Independent candidate, cast his vote at a booth in Shivamogga. He was accompanied by his wife and family members. 

Read his exclusive interview with The Hindu here.

- Special Arrangement

By 9 a.m., Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency recorded 11.39% voting. Among those who voted early in the day were former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, his sons B.Y. Raghavendra who is the BJP candidate in Shivamogga, and B.Y. Vijayendra, the State BJP president.

In Shivamogga city, many people skipped their morning walk to queue up at polling stations. Carrying photo identity cards, they looked for the serial numbers in the voters’ list at the kiosks set up by the Election Commission, before entered the booths.

The May 7 polls in Karnataka will be a deciding factor for the political survival of many BJP candidates and the political future of children of many Congress ministers.

The 14 constituencies located in central and northern Karnataka have seen numerous castes, religious, ideological, gender, economic and political identities being discussed in the course of the campaign at various points of time. 

However, the main discourse towards the tail end of the campaign veered towards “ kaam (performance of guarantees of the Congress government) versus Ram (Hindutva)“ in the region where the BJP made a clean sweep in 2019. The role of rebel candidates and murder of student Neha Hiremath may play a role in many constituencies.

All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge and his wife Radhabai cast their votes at Government Higher Primary School in Basavanagar (Bhrahmpur) in Kalaburagi. 

His son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is the Congress candidate in Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) Lok Sabha Constituency.

​

The 14 seats that have gone to the polls saw an average of 9.45% turnout by 9 a.m. Polling began at 7 a.m.

Shimoga (11.39%) and Uttara Kannada (11.07%) saw the highest turnout, while Raichur (8.27%) saw the lowest, according to data released by the Election Commission.

BJP candidate Narasimha Naik and Congress candidate Raja Venugopal Naik voted in Surpur. Narasimha Naik, his wife and son voted in Govt High School in Kodekal in Surpur taluk while Raja Venugopal Naik and his wife voted in at Government Library building in Surpur. 

Surpur will fall under Raichur MP constituency and is facing by-election after the demise of sitting congress MLA Raja Vankatappa Naik.

Voters enjoyed the opportunity to pose for cameras sitting on a king’s seat and crown on their head, after casting their votes at a polling station set up at Shivamogga Zilla Panchayat office. The citizens have a chance to feel like a king on the occasion of the festival of democracy.

The election staff wore the attire resembling the staff in a palace. And, the polling station was decorated to look like a palace.

Photos by special arrangement

Congress candidate for Kalaburagi Radhakrishna Doddamani, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge and his wife Shruti Kharge exercised their franchise at Government Higher Primary School at Gundagurthi village in Chittapur assembly segment. 

Speaking to the media representative after voting, Mr. Kharge exuded confidence of winning Kalaburagi. 

“We are talking about development. We are talking about Kalaburagi Next, our report card, our guarantees and what we, if voted to power, will do in the future. They [BJP] are speaking about emotional issues and trying to trigger communal tensions between communities,” Mr. Kharge said. 

-B. Kumar

Polling was delayed by 20 minutes at a polling station in Government Pre-University College in Hosapet due to the technical problems. Vijayanagara Superintendent of Police Shrihari Babu B.L. rushed the polling and took measures to fix it. The polling started by 7.20 am.

-B. Kumar

Due to the technical glitches in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the polling at Ashtagi village in Kalaburagi district was delayed by an hour and ten minutes. 

As per the available information, the village had two polling stations (146 and 147) and the EVM in Polling Station 146 did not start. Later, the problem was fixed and the polling began at 8.30 am.

- B. Kumar

Election duty officials have created theme-based polling booths across the districts to add colour to the polling process and to remind voters that elections are a festival of democracy. The initiatives have been taken up as part of SVEEP activities.

Read about them here.

Across the first two phases, 189 out of 543 constituencies voted in the Lok Sabha elections. The ECI has provided seat-by-seat voter turnout data. The numbers suggest that turnout has fallen somewhat in both phases compared to the 2019 elections. Overall, voter participation or the turnout rate increased or stayed the same in only 32 of these 189 seats compared to the 2019 elections; the rest have seen a decrease in turnout.

Read the data story here.

Former CM B.S. Yediyurappa exercised his franchise in Shikaripura of Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency along with sis son and candidate B. Y. Raghavendra. 

Mr. Yediyurapppa spoke to the media at his residence at Shikaripura, exuding confidence that the BJP-JD(S) combine will win 25-26 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

“We will win all 14 that went for polls in the first phase. Even if we lose one or two in the second phase, we will definitely win at least 25-26 seats,” he said.

Further, he said his son, Raghavendra, contesting on the BJP ticket for Shivamogga, will win with a margin not less than 2.5 lakh votes.

- B.S. Satish Kumar, Satisha G.T.

Voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka began on Tuesday in 14 constituencies.

Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.

It’s a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP in these constituencies in the northern districts. The JD(S) is not contesting these seats and is supporting its NDA alliance partner -- the BJP.

The segments where elections will be held on Tuesday are: Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere and Shimoga.

-PTI

Under a scorching sun and amidst ​a severe drought​, 14 constituencies in northern and central Karnataka are going to ​the polls​ on May 7. Complaints about regional imbalances and unkept promises — especially related to irrigation projects — are an undercurrent, though constantly overshadowed by communal narratives and the blame game between parties in the last leg of the campaign.

The emergence of right-wing activism in the aftermath of the 1992 Idgah riots in Hubballi and the subsequent political realignment in the region, with members of the Janata Parivar shifting to the saffron party, has severely affected the Congress’ prospects in the region. The party’s efforts to regain its glory have not yielded big results yet.

​Read the full story here.​