Brisk polling in Chincholi and Kundagol

Both Chincholi and Kundagol Assembly constituencies recorded brisk polling in the bypolls being held on Sunday. While Chincholi in Kalaburagi district had registered 40.4 per cent polling by 1 pm, Kundgol in Dharwad district had recorded 42.73 per cent.

According to the Election Commission of Karnataka, VVPATs were changed at 10 polling booths in Chincholi and two at Kundagolu. Though there were reports of EVM malfunction of Chikkanarthi and Yalguppi in Kundagol constituency, Election Commission dismissed the same saying that there was no stoppage of polling in any booths.

The two constituencies are witnessing a pitched battle between Congress and the BJP. While by-polls are being held in Kundagol following the demise of former minister C S Shivalli, assembly seat at Chincholi was vacated after Umesh Jadhav quit Congress to join BJP and contest Lok Sabha polls. While Shivalli's wife, Kusumavathi Shivalli is in the fray with a Congress ticket against BJPs S I Chikkanagouda, Jadhav's son Avinash Jadhav is pitted against Subash Rathod from Congress at Chincholi.