Karnataka bypolls: 15% polling recorded till noon

Bangalore, Aug 21: Around 15 per cent polling was recorded in the Mandya and Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seats in south Karnataka till noon on Wednesday. The state election commission made full security arrangements for the by-polls.

The two seats fell vacant after sitting Mps from the JD(Secular) quit to join the Karnataka assembly after the elections in May. Over 3 million voters were expected to cast their votes in the by-polls, seen by many as the prestige battle between the Congress and the JD(S).

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy represented the Bangalore Rural seat in the Lok Sabha. The JD(S) leader preferred to continue as the MLA for he might not have preferred to continue as the MP, predicting an uncertain future.

The party, however, fielded Anita Kumaraswamy, wife of the former chief minister and daughter-in-law of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, from the seat which is considered its stronghold.

The ruling Congress has fielded DK Suresh, brother of former state working president DK Shivakumar, against the JD(S) candidate.

In Mandya, the Congress fielded actor Ramya against JD(S)'s CS Puttaraju. The BJP isn't contesting the polls and decided to back the JD(S).

The counting will take place on August 24.

OneIndia News