Karnataka Elections 2023: Priyank Kharge alleges presiding officer at Chamnur village influencing public to vote for BJP

Voting for Karnataka's 224-seat Assembly began on Wednesday morning at 7 am with much fervour. Many senior leaders from the state--former CM BS Yediyurappa, Jagdish Shettar, incumbent CM Basavaraj Bommai, prominent people from different walks of life including Rajmata Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the Mysuru royal family came out and casted their votes.

As voting was underway in 58,545 polling stations; Congress leader Priyank Kharge alleged that voting in booth no 178 in Chamnur village was stopped.

He alleged the Presiding Officer was prompting the public to vote for BJP.

He wrote in his tweet, "Polling stopped in Booth #178 Chamnur village as the Presiding Officer is prompting/influencing people to vote for BJP."

Son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyank Kharge was a former minister in the Siddaramaiah government and is presently contesing from the Chittapur Assembly constituency.

Karnataka Assembly Elections

Three major parties--BJP, Congress and JD(S) are in a triangular fray to secure a majority of state's 224-seat Assembly. The voting for the same commenced at 7 am and will continue till 6pm. According to the Election Commission of India, the majority mark to form the government is 113 seats.

The fate of the candidates will be known on May 13, the day of counting votes.

A total of 42,48,028 new voters have been registered to vote for the assembly elections.

With agency inputs

Published on: Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 10:58 AM IST