Karnataka BJP writes to EC alleging Cong MLA Ajay Singh campaigned during by-polls

Karnataka BJP on Thursday wrote to the Election Commission to initiate action against Jevargi Congress MLA Ajay Singh alleging he was campaigning in Shivajinagar constituency during the by-polls.

The BJP alleged that he was asking voters to vote in favour of Rizwan Arshad, congress candidate in Shivaji Nagar.

Voting for 15 assembly constituencies of Karnataka began on Thursday morning at 7 am.

The polls on these seats were necessitated following the disqualification of 17 MLAs who had resigned from the assembly in July over their differences with the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

The elections for 15 out of 17 seats were held today since the poll body had withheld the elections for two seats -- Maski and Rajarajeshwari -- as the petitions against these Assembly constituencies are pending in the Karnataka High Court.

In the run-up to polls, section144, which prohibits an assembly of more than four people in an area was imposed in the by-election constituencies which come under the jurisdiction of Bengaluru Comissionerate, including Mahalakshmi Layout, KR Puram, Shivajinagar and Yeshwantpura.

Other constituencies that went for by-polls today include Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagar, Chickballapura, Hosakote, KR Pete and Hunsur.