Big turnout in Kundgol, Chincholi

Hubballi: The Kundagol Assembly by-election witnessed a record 82.42 per cent voter turnout with the polling passing off peacefully on Sunday.

The good voting percentage has increased the confidence of both Congress and BJP leaders who claimed they will win based on their own calculations. The constituency had earlier recorded the highest percentage of 79.10  in the 1972 elections.

 Barring a few technical problems in EVMs, no untoward incident occurred in the constituency. The seat is witnessing a close fight like in the previous poll where late minister C.S. Shivalli had won by a small margin of 634 votes.

Kundagol Assembly constituency had recorded only 72.93% voting in the Lok Sabha elections. More people turned up to vote in the morning to avoid the sweltering heat as the region is sizzling at 40 degree Celsius.

The BJP workers  peformed pooja at the polling booth before start of voting in Adaragunchi village, causing resentment among Congress leaders. Voters had to wait for hours in Yaraguppi village due to a technical problem in the EVM.

Exercising franchise along with her daughter in Yaraguppi village, Congress candidate Kusumavati Shivalli has expressed confidence that she will win the byelection with a margin of more than 10,000 votes. Her daughter Roopa  also voted in the bypoll for the first time.

Meanwhile, casting his vote in Adaragunchi village, the BJP candidate S.I. Chikkanagoudar said that he will become an MLA for the fourth time by winning the seat with a margin of more than 21,000 votes.