Ruling BJP in Karnataka leads in poll code violations

Bangalore, March 30 (IANS) The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka, first to announce its candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, is also leading the other parties in facing cases of poll code violation, data released by election officials showed Monday.

Of the 58 poll code violation cases registered by the state election commission, 24 are against BJP.

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Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) face nine cases each, BSP two cases and 14 cases are registered against other parties, Chief Electoral Officer M.N. Vidyashankar told reporters here.

Eleven cases have been registered in the iron-ore rich Bellary, from where BJP's mine barons G. Janardhana Reddy, and his brother G. Karunakara Reddy and close associate B. Sriramulu, hail. All three of them are ministers in the B.S. Yeddyurappa ministry.

Next comes Yeddyrappa's home district Shimoga where four cases have been registered. The chief minister's son B.Y. Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shimoga. He is contesting the Lok Sabha polls for the first time and will face former chief minister S. Bangarappa, who recently returned to Congress after a stint in BJP and Samajwadi Party.

Election authorities have seized Rs.1.73 crore worth of cash, liquor and other items meant for distribution to voters, Vidyashankar said.

Bellary and Shimoga lead in instances of disfiguring of public property as well. Of the 50 cases, 29 are registered in Bellary and 12 in Shimoga, he said.

Shimoga has also recorded maximum number of violent incidents with seven out of 12 cases registered there.

BJP has announced candidates for 24 of the 28 constituencies. It was the first off the block to name the candidates, followed by JD-S for 16 seats Friday and Congress for 22 seats Sunday.

Voting will take place in 17 constituencies April 23 and in 11 seats April 30.