E-Paper
Lok Sabha election 2019: On the edge, Karnataka braces for the big poll
Lok Sabha elections 2019 will be very closely watched in Karnataka, a state that has witnessed frenetic political activities after May 2018 assembly elections that saw the Congress – JD(S) combine coming to power.
Lok Sabha elections 2019 will be very closely watched in Karnataka, a state that has witnessed frenetic political activities after May 2018 assembly elections that saw the Congress – JD(S) combine coming to power.
Amid charges and counter-charges of MLA poaching , lawmakers going missing and a Congress rebel resigning, the state government has been on tenterhooks past nine months.
The ruling combine, which is hoping to improve the 2014 tally of nine, is yet to formally announce the seat sharing formula though Congress president Rahul Gandhi and JD(S) leader Deve Gowda have discussed the issue.
READ: All you need to know about Madhya Pradesh
The seat distribution has been contentious particularly in the state’s southern Old Mysuru region, where the two parties have been direct rivals.
The BJP, caught in a row over the purported conversation recorded of State chief B.S. Yeddyurappa trying to woo a JD(S) MLA, is banking heavily on Modi magic.
The Lok Sabha elections will be held in 7 phases starting April 11. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
READ: Assam prepares for Lok Sabha polls, all you need to know
Here is all you know about Karnataka:
Polling dates: April 18, April 23
Date of counting: May 23
Ruling coalition in the state: Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition
Number of Lok Sabha seats in the state: 28
Party wise break-up of the Lok Sabha seats: BJP - 17 (16 now after it lost a by-election last year), Congress – 9, JD(S) – 2,
Number of voters in the state: 5,03,07,182 (Male: 2,54,55,976; Female: 2,48,46,488; Others: 4,718)
Voter turnout in 2014: 67.20 %
Number of assembly seats: 224 (And one nominated seat)
Partywise break-up of assembly seats: BJP: 104, Congress: 79 (Including Speaker. One MLA resigned on Tuesday), JD(S): 37, BSP: 1, Independents: 2
Key leaders across parties: HD Deve Gowda (JD-S), Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), Ananth Kumar Hegde (BJP), Siddaramaiah (Congress), BS Yeddyurappa (BJP),
Key issues:
Running the ruling coalition smoothly through the Lok Sabha elelctions will be crucial; unease in Congress may be an issue with rebel rebel Congress leader Umesh Jadhav set to contest against Congress stalwart Mallikarjun Kharge.
