Chaos reigns supreme at KR Puram

Bypoll battle: Constituencies bustle with activity; tecnical glitches at some booths

Party workers try to woo voters at a booth in Ramamurthy Nagar. Dh PhotoS/S K Dinesh

Party workers in same-coloured sarees sit at a help desk at a school in B Narayanapura, Bengaluru East.

Police help a senior citizen to a polling booth at KR Puram.

From free biryani to booth squabbles to EVM glitches, the polling to KR Puram Assembly constituency was a scene of clamour and chaos on Thursday. And as polling got over, food leftovers and pamphlets strewn all around made for an eyesore of a climax.

Congestion was the order of the day as hundreds of BJP and Congress supporters poured into the narrow lanes leading to polling stations from morning. Some were even seen grabbing the voters’ hands as they made a case for their respective parties.

Byrathi Basavaraj, contesting on a BJP ticket, is aiming for a hat-trick in the constituency. In an attempt to woo the Vokkaliga vote bank, the Congress has fielded MLC M Narayanaswamy, from the same community.

Petty fights on roads and arguments in polling booths were a common sight. At booth number 346 in Singayyanapalya, the polling process commenced late as there were technical glitches in the voting machines. “We started about 10 minutes late. A similar problem was encountered in the neighbouring booth. When we turned on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), an ‘invalid’ message popped up,” said a polling officer.

At booth number 304 at B Narayanapura, polling agents deputed by political parties entered into an argument. “The Congress agent had come prepared with all the required documents. However, a group of BJP supporters argued that the agent was not a local and did not have permission. Although he could continue, the Congress agent waked out, and order was restored,” said an official at the booth.

Congress supporters in this area alleged that they were being silenced and cornered by BJP workers who outnumbered them. There were also allegations that voters were being lured with free food.