An estimated 2.43 crore voters will test PM Narendra Modi's popularity as 14 out of 28 constituencies in Karnataka go to the polls in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday amid tight security.
"Elaborate arrangements have been made across the state's central and southern regions for free and fair polling in 30,164 booths spread over 14 parliamentary seats from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. amid tight security," state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar.
Of the 2.43 crore voters for Thursday's polling, 1.23 crore are male and 1.20 crore are female voters who will decide the fate of 241 candidates.
25 candidates have entered the fray to battle for the all-important Bengaluru South Constituency.
Unlike in the past elections, the main parties -- BJP and Congress -- are locked in straight contests this time, as the latter has entered into a pre-poll tie-up with the JD-S to field joint candidates as part of their seat-sharing arrangements.
In Bangalore South, the BJP has fielded Tejasvi Surya in place of former Union Minister AH Ananth Kumar, who passed away in November 2018 after a brief illness. Kumar represented the seat for a record six times since 1996.
70-year-old Vatal Nagaraj of Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha is the oldest candidate to contest from the constituency while BJP's Tejasvi Surya is the youngest one.
Surya, a 28-year-old lawyer in the Karnataka High Court, is also a member of the RSS. He is pitted against B.K. Hariprasad, a Congress Rajya Sabha member from the state.
It will be interesting to see who the people of Bengaluru South Constituency will choose to be their representative in Lok Sabha.
(With inputs from IANS)