Presidential election: Polling smooth in Karnataka

Bangalore, July 19 (UNI) As many as 164 Legislators of the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly, belonging to both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, exercised their franchise till 1500 hrs to elect the new President.

Voting, which began at 1000 hrs amidst tight security at Vidhana Soudha, the State Secretariat, would end at 1700 hrs.

Apart from the 164 members, three Lok Sabha members -- actor-turned-politician Ambareesh (Cong), Manorama Madhwaraj and S Mallikarjunaiah (both BJP) -- also exercised their franchise.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Mallikarjuna Kharge said as many as 84 members, including all the Congress MLAs, voted.

BJP Legislator Araga Jnanendra said that 80 members, including 77 BJP Legislators, cast their votes.

The JD(S) Legislators, including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Assembly Speaker Krishna, abstained from voting in the Presidential election, in keeping with the party's stand. However, eight rebel JD(S) members, including former Minister H Mahadevappa, defied the party's stand and reportedly voted for UPA candidate Pratibha Patil.

Mr P G R Sindhia, member of the Surendra Mohan faction of the JD(S), exercised his franchise and said his party supported the UPA candidate as it would lead to a woman to become the President for the first time.

UNI