Over enthusiasm drives voter away

Blame it on the summer or the political heat, a brawl between party workers cost them a voter.

To top it, the tiff also drove away some first-time voters in Dasarahalli.

At polling booth 155 in Mallasandra, Dasarahalli of Bengaluru North, a skirmish ensued between JD(S) and BJP over a woman voter.

The woman was not happy with JD(S) functionaries who addressed her ‘disrespectfully’, while pestering her to vote for their party. Seeing this an opportunity, the BJP functionaries tried to draw the woman to their side, which led to a confrontation with the JD(S) workers.

Chose not to vote

As things turned ugly, eventually the melee drove the woman away from the booth. She chose not to vote for any party and went home. There was no police in the vicinity. The incident also drove some first-time voters away.

Agitated, both party workers continued to blame each other. Back at the booth, when media photographers started capturing the scene on their cameras, the crowd started to thin and subsequently dispersed.

A helping hand

The scene was a little different in booth 152, Byatarayanapura, where party workers were sheepishly asking voters at every step near Nammuru Hiriya Prathamika Shale and the Government Model School — “Yenadu Help Bekane Helli (Please tell us if you need any help.”)