Voting for Karnataka Assembly election begins

Voting for the high-stakes Karnataka Assembly elections began at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, where the major political parties in contention are the BJP, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular).

The state has over five crore voters, who will decide the fate 2,613 candidates contesting on 224 assembly seats.

Among 2,613 candidates, 2,427 are men and 185 are women. One candidate is in the others' category. There are 5,30,85,566 crore registered voters in the state -- 2,66,82,156 male voters and 2,63,98,483 female voters. Officials said 4,927 voters belong to the other category.

The ruling BJP has fielded its candidates in all 224 Assembly seats, while the Opposition Congress has fielded 223 candidates. It has not fielded a candidate in the Melukote seat.

The JD(S) party, hoping to become a kingmaker, has fielded 207 candidates and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting 209 seats. The BSP is contesting in 133 seats, while the CPI (M) has fielded candidates on four seats.

The BJP is seeking votes on the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who promised that he will depute the whole of New Delhi into the service of Karnataka. Congress is banking on the anti-incumbency factor and announced major freebies in the form of five guarantees.

The 89-year-old former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda campaigned on par with young national leaders, and has appealed to the voters to back JD(S) and make his son the chief minister.

The results for the elections will be known on May 13.

Authorities have made elaborate security arrangements across the state for the smooth conduct of elections.