#Title Over 68 per cent voter turnout in Bagalkot, Davanagere South Assembly segments

Bengaluru

Over68 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, where bypolls were held on Thursday, as Congress is eyeing retention of the key seats, while the BJP seeks to make gains there.

According to the Election Commission, the turnout in Bagalkot was 68.74 per cent, and it was 68.43 per cent in Davanagere South.

The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South). Counting of votes will take place on May 4.

Although the outcome of these by-elections is unlikely to have an immediate impact on state politics, the contest is seen as a matter of prestige for both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.

While the Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP aims to wrest them and deliver a setback to the ruling party, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.

A total of over 2.59 lakh voterswere eligible to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates were in the fray. In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh were eligible to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.

Officials said elaborate security arrangements were made for the smooth conduct of bypolls. In Bagalkot, a video circulating on social media alleged that money was distributed to voters.

"The matter has been inquired immediately and an FIR has been registered at Navanagar Police Station, Bagalkot, and further investigation is under progress," the Chief Electoral Officer's office said in a statement.

The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South. The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.