Karnataka

Karnataka votes, records 69 per cent turnout

Bangalore: An estimated 69 per cent of the about 4.36 crore electorate voted in the largely peaceful Assembly polls in Karnataka on Sunday amid projections that the beleaguered ruling BJP was on a sticky wicket against a resurgent Congress. The 7 am to 6 pm vote kicked off on a brisk pace initially but appeared to lose steam as the mercury soared before picking up momentum again in the last...  

Cong leads in K'taka; BJP, JDS fight to be 2nd: revised estimates

Bangalore: Karnataka has voted and the fate of 2,940 candidates in 223 Assembly constituencies of the state have been sealed in the electronic voting machines which will be opened at 8 AM on May 8. While the finals results will be known only a few hours after the counting begins, the trends indicate that the Congress is likely to make a comeback even though its victory march has hit a...  

K'taka polls: It's important to come out and vote, says Santosh Hegde

Polling, which commenced at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, is underway in 223 assembly constituencies of Karnataka. ...

K'taka: I-T officials raid premises of astrologer, seize Rs 1.7 crore

Bangalore: Officials of Income Tax department have seized Rs 1.7 crore cash from two premises of a city-based astrologer popular with politicians in Karnataka. Sources in the I-T department said the tax department had conducted the raids on Saturday after it received an input about the presence of Rs 40 lakh cash at the astrologer's two premises in Bangalore's RT Nagar and Ashiyana extension. "No electoral malpractice was however found...  

Karnataka polls: I am going to get absolute majority, says Yeddyurappa

As BS Yeddyurappa-led Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) makes its maiden entry in the Karnataka Assembly elections, the party chief says he is confident his party will get absolute majority in the polls. "We will form the government. We will be the single largest party in the polls," he said. ...

K'taka polls: I implore people to vote, says Manipal Global Education Chairman

Polling, which commenced at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, is underway in 223 assembly constituencies of Karnataka. ...

Karnataka polls: People want change from BJP, says Moily

Having undergone the nightmare of bad governance, non-development and anti-social justice programme, people in Karnataka are looking for a change from the BJP government and the only alternative is Congress, said Congress leader and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Veerappa Moily. "The Congress will emerge with a clean mandate for five years," he added. ...

Karnataka polls: Reject corrupt Congress, says Jagadish Shettar

As voting gets underway in Karnataka, Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar urged people that they should not vote for the 'corrupt' Congress party. ...

Live: K'taka sees high voter turnout as BJP hopes to retain power

Bangalore: 6:00 pm: Voting has just ended in 223 constituencies in Karnataka. 5:34 pm: Karnataka records 60.58 per cent voter turn out till 5 pm. 4:34 pm: Bangalore Rural records 52.5 per cent voter turnout till 3 pm. 4:32 pm: Bangalore city records 45 per cent voter turnout till 3 pm. 4:16 pm: After an initial burst, voter turnout in the Karnataka Assembly polls lost momentum in the afternoon apparently...  

Karnataka votes today, Congress hopes to breach BJP's citadel

Bangalore: The Karnataka Assembly elections, where voting began on Sunday morning, are seen as crucial polls for both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which are already preparing for the big battle of 2014. These elections are also a litmus test for the BJP, which is going to polls without Lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa. The Congress has also pulled out all the stops to return to power in...  

Congress, BJP face first big test as Karnataka votes today

Bangalore: Five years after providing BJP its first opportunity to rule Karnataka, the state's electorate vote on Sunday to decide whether it deserves another chance or give the mandate to other contenders, including the Congress. Both the central leaders and the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party say they are confident of the party retaining power as, they claim, the organization is "now free of corrupt people", a reference...  

Karnataka goes to polls on Sunday after a high-pitch campaign

Bangalore: Capping an intense campaign that saw sparks fly, Karnataka goes to high-stake assembly polls on SUnday amid elaborate security arrangements. The main players - the ruling BJP, the Congress and JDS - were engaged in high pitched campaigning, as also Karnataka Janatha Party of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, who has broken away from BJP. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi led the Congress charge against the beleaguered...  

Karnataka elections: EC extends polling time by an hour

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday announced extension of polling time by an hour up to 6 pm in the Sunday's Karnataka Assembly Elections, in view of the weather conditions and excessive heat. While the EC had earlier fixed the polling time from 7 am to 5 pm, it has now announced that polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm in the entire state. "The Commission...  

K'taka polls: Cong confident, BJP faces Yeddyurappa challenge

Bangalore: As the countdown begins for Sunday's voting in the Karnataka elections, the Congress is wearing a confident look and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hoping to offset the BS Yeddyurappa factor and hold on to power. High-profile leaders have made their pitch in the last few days of the campaign. As voters get ready to exercise their will in the 223 constituencies, most pre-poll surveys are giving the...  

Hectic campaign ends for Karnataka assembly elections

Bangalore: A fortnight-long hectic campaign for the May 5, 2013 Karnataka legislative assembly elections ended on Friday, with mainstream and regional political parties switching over to door-to-door canvassing to woo the voters over the next 24 hours. "Elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct free and fair elections Sunday in 223 assembly constituencies across the state through 6,200 pollings booths, involving about 100,000 officials and over 135,000 security personnel drawn...  

Karnataka polls: Eye on Bengaluru

CNN-IBN Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose asks residents of Bangalore about their voting ambitions ahead of the state Assembly elections on May 5. ...

Higher turnout may damage BJP more: Subramaniam Vincent

Will Karnataka's urban dwellers turn out in large numbers to decide the state's fate this coming Sunday? Or will they act as bystanders as the state votes for a new government? Subramaniam Vincent, co-founder and editor, Citizen Matters, joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue. Q. Money power can not be done away, since greed can not be done away. Will Kiran Majumdar Shaw's suggestion of Public funding...  

Karnataka polls: I-T dept raids JDS MLA's premises

Bangalore: The Income Tax department has conducted searches on the premises of Janata Dal Secular candidate and former minister A Krishnappa and seized Rs 2.6 crore in cash, besides jewellery worth Rs 1.88 crore. "Rs 2.65 crore has been seized from the premises of A Krishnappa, an MLA after I-T searches were conducted yesterday (Thursday). He is contesting from the Hiryur Assembly constituency of the state. Jewellery worth Rs 1.88...  

K'taka polls: Money power, candidates with criminal records a concern

Bangalore: There are two days left for the Karnataka Assembly elections and as always money power is a concern in the state. Not just that, the state Election Watch finds that more than 20 per cent of candidates have criminal records. Political parties may have promised to make the Karnataka 2013 Assembly polls a clean one, but a report by the Karnataka Election Watch shows that nearly 21 per cent...  

Beware of electing Congress, Modi cautions voters

Mangalore: Senior BJP leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday cautioned Karnataka's electorate against voting for the Congress in the state legislative assembly poll May 5, 2013, as it had failed on all fronts at the national level. "You have seen how the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government in Delhi has been faring during the last nine years, how it failed to control price rise, inflation and in...