BBMP polls: Some tension and a few arguments
A constable was recalled from duty for helping a candidate
Except for stray incidents of mild caning, protests and exchange of heated words, polling for the BBMP election went off peacefully.
Briefing the media, Bangalore City Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said five cases were registered and around six persons have been arrested in connection with poll-related violence. Compared to the previous elections and elections for local bodies in other metros, the polls were peaceful. “Our home work paid rich dividends,” he added.
There were reports of some leaders exchanging heated words at a few wards, but no complaint was lodged. Allegations that a few police officers worked for a particular candidate or party were baseless, Bidari claimed and added that a head constable of a police station was withdrawn and assigned duties at control room after a few persons alleged that he was working in favour of his relative who was contesting from a ward in the same area.
Wilson Garden
A tense situation prevailed after two groups clashed near Bada Makan area (behind Urvashi theatre) in Wilson Garden.
Sources said the groups got into fight over alleged bogus voting. Timely arrival of the police averted a major clash. Six persons - Sadiq, Jafro, Nayaz, Shafi, Praveen alias Malayali Praveen and another associate were arrested.
The police also took into custody Sadashivaiah, Babu, Anil Reddy, Chandrashekhar and Gajendra into custody for allegedly threatening Hanumantharaju who was distributing identity slips to voters at Hombegowda Nagar (ward number 145).
In yet another incident, five persons assaulted Rajashekharaiah while he was distributing identity slips to voters.
Sunkadakatte
Police resorted to mild cane charge near a polling booth at Sunkadakatte to control the situation as workers of JD(S) and Congress objected to the Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly constituency MLA M Srinivas near a polling booth.
Kottigepalya in Rajarajeshwarinagar assembly constituency is one of the sensitive wards in the City. Srinivas’ son S Venkatesh is the BJP candidate. Honnagiri Gowda of Congress and Ravi Gowda of JD(S) were also in the fray.
The JD(S) and the Congress party workers alleged that Srinivas was directing his party workers to distribute money among voters, which led to a verbal duel with him.
The JD(S) leader and deputy chairman in the Council Puttanna demanded re-polling.
Ejipura
The Viveknagar police took into custody Janata Dal(S) elections agents Mukund, K Kumar, K Manju and Arun after they allegedly assaulted the Congress candidate of ward number 148 and allegedly threatened him. The incident occurred when the candidate visited the polling booth at Modern School to inquire about the percentage of voting. The suspects assaulted him alleging that he had come there to distribute cash among voters.
Domlur
All voters in Madras Engineering Group (MEG), most of them armymen and their relatives did not exercise their franchise on Sunday to express their displeasure against the BBMP for not taking enough steps to provide basic amenities in the area.
RT Nagar
The RT Nagar police have arrested Venkatesh and T Murthy when they were allegedly distributing money to voters near Adarsh School (ward number 146).
