Mandya: Following a record-breaking voter turnout of 81.6% in Mandya, Congress and JD(S) functionaries have expressed confidence in securing a victory in the Mandya Lok Sabha segment, given the voting pattern.
They believe that the support of traditional voters will be instrumental in clinching victory in the constituency, often regarded as a Vokkaliga bastion.
Congress functionaries confirmed that Vokkaliga vote bank consolidated in favour of JD(S) candidate HD Kumaraswamy. However, they point out that they will win because several other communities voted for their candidate.
Among the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies that went for voting on Friday, Mandya recorded the highest voting percentage. Thanks to the stiff competition in the constituency. According to data available, 11,983 more women cast their votes compared to their male counterparts.
According to data released by the district administration, the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency recorded 81.6% voting which is 1.2% more compared to the 2019 election.
The highest voting was reported from Melukote assembly constituency limits (87.2%) while the lowest turnout was reported from Mandya City at 77%. Malavalli recorded 77.2% voting.
According to the ECI data, in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Mandya recorded a voting percentage of 71.4% which increased to 80.4% in 2019.
However, compared to the previous two assembly elections, the voting percentage is less in this Lok Sabha election. In the 2018 assembly election, the district recorded a voting percentage of 83.3% while in the 2023 assembly election, it increased to 84.7%.
District in charge minister N Cheluvarayaswamy said that around 70% of the Vokkaligas voted for NDA candidate HD Kumaraswamy. “It was around 60% in the previous elections. This time, it has increased by another ten percent, but JD(S) will not get even a single vote from several other communities. So, we are confident of winning the seat by a margin of 50,000 to 70,000 votes,” he said.
He said if Mandya residents staying in Bengaluru had arrived to cast their vote, the voting percentage would have increased further. “A majority of those who stay in Bengaluru gave voting a miss,” he said.
“There was no HDK wave this time. Voters treated him like any other candidate,” he said.
JD(S) district unit president D Ramesh said former CM HD Kumaraswamy will win easily. “All from BJP and supporters of Sumalatha Ambareesh voted for our candidate. We will win this time,” he said.
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