Estimated 72 per cent of electorate cast vote in Ktk by-polls

An estimated 72 per cent voter turnout was reported today in the by-election to three Assembly constituencies in Karnataka that saw a fierce fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in the first popularity test after the Lok Sabha polls.
Polling was peaceful in all the constituencies, electoral officials said, giving the voting percentage at the end of the exercise as Chikkodi-Sadalga (81.30), Bellary Rural (68.9) and Shikaripura (65).
The three constituencies have a total electorate of over 5.57 lakh.
For Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a lot is at stake as he faced the first popularity test after Congress' not so impressive show in the Lok Sabha polls in which it managed to secure only nine of the 28 seats against a resurgent BJP's 17.

After its sterling performance in the 2013 Assembly polls, Congress was hoping to replicate the success in Lok Sabha elections but was checkmated by a revitalised BJP driven by the Modi factor.
A good show in today's by-polls would be a booster for Siddaramaiah to consolidate his position in the party, where there are signs of discontent with the functioning of his government.

The by-elections are also a litmus test for BJP National Vice-President B S Yeddyurappa, whose son B Y Raghavendra has been fielded from Shikaripura, his stronghold which he had won seven times. The seat fell vacant following Yeddyurappa's election to Lok Sabha from Shimoga, which Raghavendra earlier represented.

In Bellary Rural, a complaint was filed with police by some Congress workers against BJP Lok Sabha member B Sriramulu and two others for allegedly posing "threat to life", police said. Sriramulu's election as Lok Sabha member caused the by-election from this constituency.
The by-poll to Chikkodi-Sadalga was caused due to the election of Prakash Hukkeri to Lok Sabha from Chikkodi.
Congress went all out not only to retain Chikkodi-Sadalga but also wrest from BJP Bellary Rural and Shikaripura.
JDS, dogged by rumblings of discontent within over the leadership of its supremo Deve Gowda and his son and former Chief Minster H D Kumaraswamy, has not fielded any candidates.

Twenty two candidates were in the fray. Counting of votes will take place on August 25.