Voter turnout in Karnataka bye-elections till 9 am

The Bellary parliamentary constituency witnessed 4.40 per cent voter turnout till 9 am, while Shimoga and Mandya constituencies recorded 8.61 per cent and 4.18 per cent respectively.

Legislative assembly constituencies Jamakhandi and Ramanagara witnessed a voter turnout of 9 per cent and 8 per cent respectively till 9 am.

Polling which began at 7 am in three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in the state is being seen as a litmus test for the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition in the state.

Both alliance partners have fielded joint candidates in all the seats. The JD(S) is contesting the Mandya and Shimoga Lok Sabha seats and the Ramanagara assembly constituency, while the Congress has put up candidates in the Bellary Lok Sabha seat and Jamakhandi assembly seat.

In Ramanagara, the JD (S) has fielded Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's wife Anitha Kumaraswamy. The bye-poll was necessitated after Kumaraswamy, who contested on two seats - Channapatna and Ramanagara - in the assembly elections earlier this year, decided to resign from Ramanagara.

The Shimoga Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former state chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa decided not to contest the assembly election from Shikaripura.

Yeddyurappa, who cast his vote earlier today, told media that he was confident of his son, BS Raghavendra, winning from Shimoga, which is known as the bastion of the BJP.

Yeddyurappa claimed that BJP will get an absolute majority in all the five constituencies.

"101 per cent my son (BS Raghavendra) is going to win the Shimoga seat. We are also going to win Bellary and Jamakhandi. We will get absolute majority in all the constituencies," Yeddyurappa told reporters.

Yeddyurappa cast his vote at a polling booth in ward no 132 at Shikaripura in Shimoga, while BJP candidate Srikant Kulkarni cast his vote at booth no. 150 in Hirepadasalgi village of Jamakhandi.

Anand Nyamagouda, Congress candidate from legislative assembly constituency of Jamakhandi cast his vote at polling booth number 125.

Bellary, another region which is considered to be the stronghold of the BJP is also witnessing voting today where BJP leader B Sreeramulu's sister Shantha is in the fray. The seat, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, fell empty after the resignation of Sreeramulu.

The Mandya Lok Sabha seat fell vacant following the resignation of JD(S) lawmaker CS Puttaraju, who was elected to the Melukote constituency in the assembly elections and became a minister in the coalition government. In place of Puttaraju, the JD(S) has fielded LR Shivarame Gowda who will be contesting against BJP candidate Siddaramaiah. Gowda is said to be a newcomer.

In Jamakhandi, Congress has fielded Anand Nyamagouda, son of senior leader Siddu Nyamagouda, whose sudden demise in a road accident on May 28 necessitated bye-polls. Meanwhile, BJP has fielded Srikant Kulkarni.

Results of polling will be declared on November 6.

The terms for the Bellary, Shimoga and Mandya seats will be too short considering the fact that the Lok Sabha elections are due next year.