Bangalore:
Moderate polling was reported by Thursday afternoon in Karnataka, where by-elections are being held for three assembly seats. All three are vacant because the legislators were elected as Members of Parliament earlier this year, among them BJP prodigals BS Yeddyurappa and B Sriramulu.
For Shikaripura this morning, Mr Yeddyurappa praying at a temple for success in the elections was a familiar sight. But this time the prayers were for his son, B Y Raghavendra, the BJP candidate from this family stronghold that the father vacated to move to the Lok Sabha as the MP of Shimoga, of which Shikaripura is a segment.
Mr Yeddyurappa was also the first to vote at his polling booth where he is registered. "Wherever you go, about development - nobody will speak even a word. They have no demands. Raghavendra is a youngster - they have got 100% confidence in him," he told NDTV.
His son said, "In the last 20 years my father has done good work here. I too did very good work as an MP."
Three years ago Mr Yeddyurappa had to resign as Karnataka chief minister amid allegations of corruption, and after months of struggle and sulking, quit the BJP. He returned to the party last year and has been fully rehabilitated as vice-president on the new team of BJP chief Amit Shah. A win here will help Mr Yeddyurappa consolidate his position - and will also signal that the Narendra Modi team has clout.
But the Congress, which rules the state needs to win too. Though today's results will not affect its majority, it needs a boost of confidence after its poor performance in the national elections earlier this year - it could win only nine of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats.
Congress candidate Shanthaveerappa Gowda too offered prayers for a win. "There is no chance for ex-CM Yeddyurappa's son, B Y Raghavendra. Our Shikaripura voters have rejected them... there is no Narendra Modi - he is forgotten by the public," he told NDTV.
By-elections are also being held for Bellary, formerly held by B Sriramulu, another leader who left the BJP and returned recently, and Chikkodi-Sadalga in Belgaum, which was held by the Congress.