Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje cast vote in Hubballi, Bengaluru

HUBBALLI, BENGALURU: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday cast his vote for the Karnataka Assembly elections at a polling booth in Hubballi and expressed confidence that the BJP will form government in the state.

“I’m happy that people are celebrating this festival of democracy in a big way. People are interested to bring BJP’s double engine government back to power. The BJP will form a government on its own”, he said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and Shobha Karandlaje also cast her vote at a polling booth in Bengaluru. “Voters should come to polling booths and vote in high percentage and bring a good government”, she said.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi casting his vote in Hubballi on Wednesday.

Earlier, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Bharatiya Janata Party leader BS Yediyurappa, and Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai cast their vote. Karnataka Ministers Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, B C Nagesh, Dr S Sudhakar among others also cast their votesand urged people to cast their vote.

Voter turnout of 37.25 per cent has been recorded in the Karnataka Assembly polls till 1 pm on Wednesday, with Udupi district seeing the highest polling at 47.79 per cent. Voting began on Wednesday morning for the 224 Assembly seats in Karnataka. The electors will decide the electoral fate of 2,615 candidates. The state had recorded 20.99 per cent voter turnout till 11 am.

Union minister Shobha Karandlaje stands in queue to cast her vote in Bengaluru.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Central recorded 29.41 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm while it was 29.90 per cent in BBMP (North). BBMP (South) saw a voting percentage of 30.68 per cent, Bagalkot 40.87 per cent, Bangalore Rural 40.16 per cent, Bangalore Urban 31.54 per cent, Belagavi 37.48 and Ballari 39.74 per cent till 1 pm.

Dakshina Kannada recorded 44.17 per cent voter turnout, Vijayapura 36.55 per cent, Davanagere 38.64 per cent, Uttara Kannada 42.43 per cent and Tumakuru 40.60 per cent.