Brisk, peaceful polling in Chamundeswari

The 3.8 lakh-voter second biggest Assembly constituency in Karnataka, Chamundeswari, witnessed brisk and peaceful polling on Monday with the Mysore taluk voters queuing up before polling booths right from the morning.

The turnout of 65 per cent, reported in early evening, is not however high compared to the average turnout in the constituency in earlier elections. This is intriguing as this election has been a a particularly keenly contested one.

Unprecedented security arrangements, including posting of para-military forces at polling stations, ensured that despite the high stakes, polling remained peaceful.

The election has assumed significance because of the high stakes that both Congress and Janata Dal (S) have in it. Siddaramaiah, one-time strong supporter of Janata Dal (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, has turned bitter rival and is contesting the byelection on a Congress ticket.

Polling began at 7 a.m. at a brisk pace and the first three hours witnessed 15-20 per cent turnout. Siddaramaiah was among the early voters, casting his vote within the first hour. Janata Dal (U) candidate A S Guruswamy cast his vote thereafter with a black band tied around his mouth to protest against the 'malpractices' indulged in by the ruling JD(S).

The flow of money during the canvassing appeared somewhat restrained on the crucial Sunday night as some villagers this morning complained that they had neither received any money nor been provided vehicles to go to polling booths.