Karnataka Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Voting for remaining 14 seats on May 7; key contests

Polling for the remaining 14 Lok Sabha seats of Karnataka will be held on May 7. In the first phase for the state, voting was held in 14 seats on April 25. The southern state recorded a 69.56 per cent voter turnout in the 14 constituencies excluding a polling station in Chamarajanaga. On May 7, the constituencies that will go to polls are Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere, Shimoga. 

In this phase, all eyes will be on high-profile seats such as Haveri, Shimoga, Uttar Kannada, and Dharwad. The BJP has fielded former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai from Haveri, BS Yediyurappa's son BY Raghavendra from Shimoga, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad, and Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri from Uttar Kannada. Kageri replaced Anantkumar Hegde, who held this seat since 2004. 

The first phase of voting in the state went peaceful barring an incident at a polling station in Indiganatha village of Hanur under Chamarajanagar parliamentary constituency where the Electronic Voting Machines were destroyed during a clash between two groups of people. Re-polling will be conducted at this polling station in Hanur on April 29. 

The highest voter turnout was recorded in Mandya (81.67 per cent), followed by Kolar (78.27 per cent) and Tumkur (78.05 per cent), the EC said. Bangalore Central recorded 54.06 per cent, Bangalore South - 53.17 per cent, Bangalore North - 54.45 per cent and Bangalore Rural - 68.30 per cent voter turnout. 

In the first phase, the Congress contested in all 14 seats, while BJP fought on 11 and its alliance partner JD(S) in three -- Hassan, Mandya, and Kolar.

Besides the three, elections were held in Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur. 

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the same 14 segments in the first phase recorded a turnout of 68.80 per cent.