AFTER a high voltage campaign, it is now time for the mega battle of ballots in Karnataka, with the state all set to elect its representatives to the 224-member Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. With the stakes being high in this election, the major political parties in contention - the BJP, Congress and JD(S) - and their candidates have made a strong pitch seeking to boost their prospects at the hustings. The voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm. A total of 5,31,33,054 electors are eligible to cast their votes in 58,545 polling stations across the state, where 2,615 candidates are in the fray.

 

Among the electors, 2,67,28,053 are male, 2,64,00,074 female and 4,927“others”, while among thecandidates 2,430 are male, 184 female and one from thirdgender. As many as 11,71,558 areyoung voters, while 5,71,281are persons with disabilities(PWDs) and 12,15,920 are agedabove 80. While the ruling BJP, ridingon the Modi juggernaut, wantsto break the 38-year jinx andretain its southern citadel, theCongress is seeking to wrestpower to give the party muchneeded elbow room andmomentum to positionitself as the main Oppositionplayer in the 2024 Lok Sabhaelections.