Kodagu dist all set for Legislative Council polls

1,390 voters to exercise their franchise

A total of 1,390 voters from the electorate, which includes members of gram panchayats, taluk panchayats, town panchayats, town municipality and zilla panchayat, will decide the fate of candidates S G Medappa from BJP, T John from Congress-JDS coalition and independent candidate Kudiayara Muthappa. Though there are three candidates in fray, the fight will be crucial between S G Medappa and T John.

Medappa had won the seat in the election, which held 14 months ago, when C S Arun Machaiah resigned from MLC’s post. Though three aspirants had submitted nomination papers from BJP, the party high command had given the party ticket to Medappa. Later, other two aspirants withdrew their nomination papers. However, many party leaders did not join hands to campaign for Medappa. Hence, the election will be a decisive battle for Medappa.

Meanwhile, election is a prestige issue for Congress-JDS candidate T John too. John had lost to C S Arun Machaiah six years ago. Hence, this election is of an extreme importance for John to rebuild his political career. It will be a rebirth for John in politics, if he was elected.

98 polling booths
Polling stations will be opened in 96 gram panchayat office buildings. Members of Ponnampete gram panchayat can exercise their franchise at the booth in taluk panchayat office. Meanwhile, a polling station will be opened at the Government Higher Primary School for the members of Koodige gram panchayat.
The polling booth at Madikeri Town Municipality is the largest one, where 76 voters including Legislative Assembly In-charge Speaker K G Bopaiah, MLA M P Appachuranjan, MLCs S G Medappa, M C Nanaiah and Ganesh Karnik, members of town municipality, Madikeri taluk panchayat and zilla panchayat will exercise their franchise.

A total of 231 cops will be deployed to ensure peace during election in the district. The process of counting votes will be held at the Kote Hale Vidhan Sabhangana on December 21 from 8 am.