Stage set for polls in second phase tomorrow

Bangalore, May 15 (UNI) As many as 1,10,26,524 voters, including 55,02,247 women will exercise their franchise in the second phase of polling for 66 Assembly seats in Karnataka tomorrow.

The Polling in 12,286 polling stations spread over ten districts, will be held from 0700 hrs to 1700 hrs.

As many as 589 candidates, including former Chief Ministers B S Yeddyurappa (BJP), S Bangarappa (SP), Lok Sabha members Venkatesh Naik, Basavaraj Patil Yatnal, Narasingarao Suryavamshi, G Karunakara Reddy, Ramesh Jigajinagi are in the fray.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vidyashankar speaking to newspersons this evening said all arrangements have been made to hold free and fair elections.

Political stalwarts from all the parties including Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi her son Rahul Gandhi, SP leaders Amar Singh, Jayaprada, BJP's L K Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Hema Malini, UP Chief Minister Mayavati, Union Ministers Ramvilas Paswan, P Chidambaram were among others who took up vigorous campaigning.

The first phase election was held for 89 assembly on May 10, in which about 66 per cent polling was recorded.

The third and final phase of the polling for 69 assembly seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly is scheduled for May 22 in eight northern Karantaka districts.

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