Jayanagar poll: At 55 per cent, voting lukewarm for a hot seat

Bengaluru: With only 55 per cent of voters exercising their franchise in the crucial Jayanagar Assembly bypoll, the wait has begun for June 13 when the counting of votes will be taken up even as the two main parties-BJP and Congress-rushed to assert that they had an edge.

The polling went off smoothly except for a technical glitch at booth number 216 at Clarence Public School located in Jayanagar 4th block. The poor arrangements made polling officials stand and carry out their duties at booth number 88 at Global School in Bismillah Nagar.

The constituency witnessed a straight fight between the BJP's B.N. Prahlad and Congress candidate Soumya Reddy, daughter of former home minister Ramalinga Reddy. The JD(S) candidate,  Kalegowda opted out of the contest in favour of Ms Reddy after the JD(S) and Congress entered a pact to form the coalition government.

While Mr Prahlad is expected to benefit from the sympathy factor following the death of his brother, B.N. Vijaykumar, who passed away during the campaign, political scientist Mr Sandeep Shastri feels there are several factors which will work to Ms Reddy's advantage. "The choice of Mr Prahlad as the BJP candidate has led to unhappiness in the party. The second factor which could work in Ms Reddy's favour is the goodwill created by her father, Ramalinga Reddy who had earlier represented Jayanagar before moving to BTM Layout," he said.