Karnataka assembly election: 65 of family vote in Chikkaballapur, bride exercises her franshise just before marriage in Chikmagalur

Badam family in Chikkaballapur has been voting en masse ten to fifteen times in the Karnataka elections so far.

Chikkaballapur: As political leaders appealed people to vote in large numbers in the ongoing voting for the Karnataka assembly election on Wednesday, a family in Chikkaballapur Constituency of the state has taken the appeal seriously with as many as 65 members of the family exercising their franchise. The Badam family in Chikkaballapur has become the centre of attraction after 65 people from the joint family voted en masse this morning.

Speaking to the media after voting, Gopalakrishna, a member of the Badam family, said that they have made it a point to vote en masse during the elections. “We all come together and vote as everyone's houses are in the same locality,” he said. Gopalakrishna said that the family members have voted ten to fifteen times so far.

“There is such joy in everyone coming together and voting," he said. Besides the Badam family, a bride in Chikmagalur district also grabbed attention after casting her vote just before marriage. The bride cast her vote at the 165th polling station in Chikmagalur. Dressed in her bridal costume, she reached the polling station directly from the wedding venue and exercised her franshise.

Elsewhere, in Vijayapura, a man was seen carrying his physically challenged brother on his shoulders to cast vote. Abdul Hameed, a disabled person, who came with the help of his elder brother, cast his vote at polling booth number 60 of SS High School premises in Vijayapur Nagar. In Tumkur district, Sri Siddalinga Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt voted at a local polling station.

Speaking to the media after casting his vote, Sri Siddalinga Swamiji said, "Our vote is precious, even if we give crores of rupees, we cannot pay for it. We should cast our vote without being lured. It is a democratic right, everyone should come and vote." Meanwhile, more than 300 people boycotted voting in Tumkur's Koppa village while citing lack of development.

The polling for the high stakes Karnataka Assembly election started at 7 am and 8.11 percent voting was recorded till 9 am.