Karnataka   

People hope Ramanagara will be model town

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Asserting their right: People waiting to cast their vote at a school in Channapatna on Friday.

RAMANAGARA: Exercising their franchise to elect 31 members to the City Municipal Council after Ramanagara was made a district, voters in this “VIP” town had many expectations and hopes that their town would be made a model town.

Though Ramanagara was said to be a stronghold of Janata Dal (Secular) after sending Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to the Assembly, the elections to the CMC witnessed stiff competition between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress. The former Congress MLA C.M. Lingappa was seen moving across polling booths to gauge voters’ mood, while a few of Mr. Kumaraswamy’s associates were also seen near the booths.

In Ramanagara as well as adjoining Channapatna, Muslim voters, including women turned out in large numbers to cast votes and this could be crucial for major political parties. Unlike general elections, there was not much euphoria either among party workers or voters.

Akram Pasha, who was waiting near the polling booth at Government Urdu Higher Primary School in the town to cast vote, said residents of the town were in need of adequate supply of drinking water, underground drainage and proper roads. “All the contesting candidates have promised to fulfil the residents’ expectations and it is difficult to predict who would gain majority,” he said.

Another voter, Ramanajani said even if the CMC fails to provide necessary amenities, Mr. Kumaraswamy would see to it that all the facilities are provided. “After all, he has risen to the highest position after being elected from this constituency,” he noted. Polling was brisk in the morning and by 11 a.m. more than 40 per cent of the electorate had exercised franchise.

As many as 111 candidates, from political parties as well as independents, are in the fray while the electorate had 73,862 voters — 37,153 men and 36,709 women.

In adjoining Channapatna too, the polling was brisk in the morning and over 30 per cent of voters had cast votes by 11 a.m., according to Tahsildar V. Raghavendra. However, miscreants entered a polling booth at around 4.15 p.m. and tore off ballot papers, he said. The district administration was examining the matter closely and a decision would be taken soon, he said.

Retired government official Narasappa was not much enthused by the polls. “You should have come after Thursday midnight to witness the real fight,” he sarcastically said indicating unrestrained distribution of liquor, money and freebies. Kale Gowda, another resident of Channapatna, said the residents did not have much expectation from the elected members. “They would be eager to make fast buck,” he quipped. As many as 119 candidates are in the fray in the 31 wards of the CMC to be elected by 54,208 voters.

But for the queues before the booths, the rest of Ramanagara and Channapatna wore a deserted look. All commercial activities along the Bangalore-Mysore Road had come to a standstill and the traffic on the busy highway was unusually thin.

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