According to reports, non-vegetarian feasts had been arranged in wedding halls especially in Bellary and Raichur for the electorate (members of rural and urban local bodies) on the eve of the polls. This seems to be just a part of a larger package that includes cash payment and expensive gifts.
Recent incident of several gram panchayat members of Bellary district housed in luxury resorts in Dharwad is a case in point.
With all the goodies around, it is no surprise that voters’ turnout is expected to cross 95 per cent. During the previous elections, in 2003, Chitradurga recorded 99.14 per cent polling, Chikamagalur - 99.07 and Mysore 98.56 pc !
Published 17 December 2009, 16:52 IST