65% votes polled in elections to Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha
Despite intermittent showers during the day, voters of the sangha turned up in good numbers to cast their votes during polling which was held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
According to election officer C.S. Neginahal, after the polling concluded on Sunday evening, 65% of the voters have cast their votes.
People from all walks of life prominently writers, artistes and different professionals who are members of the sangha, turned up in a leisurely manner to exercise their votes.
In the run-up to the polling, candidates of the two factions, one which is of the incumbent office-bearers led by president Chandrakanth Bellad and the other led by the former MLC Mohan Limbikai, had taken up extensive campaigning using all modes of communication.
The candidates were seen seeking votes holding umbrellas as the voters approached the polling station.
The sangha has a total of 9,104 voters, including writers, politicians, entrepreneurs, journalists, Kannada enthusiasts and lawyers.
Notable personalities who voted include senior writers Veeranna Rajur, Veena Shanteshwar, Siddhaling Pattanashetti, Hema Pattanashetti and politicians, including MLC S.V. Sankanoor, the former Chairman of the Legislative Council Veeranna Mattikatti, T. Eshwar, Shankaran Munavalli, Mahantesh Koujalagi, the former MLA Vishwanath Patil, MLA N.H. Konaraddi, Savadatti MLA Vishwanath Vaidya, the former Minister P.C. Siddanagouda, the former Registrar S.B. Hinchigeri and interim Vice-Chancellor of Raichur University Sumateendra Kulkarni and others.
The former Chief Minister and Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar who is also a member of the sangha cast his vote on Sunday. Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Shettar said that no matter who won, the sangha should continue making greater contributions to literature and Kannada. 'Good candidates with an interest in literature should be elected,' he said.
On politicians contesting in the sangha election, he said that nothing could be done as politics has entered all fields. 'Many politicians have love for language and take pride in the literature of the land and they also want to do something for the cause of land, language and water. At the end, we want the objectives of the sangha to be met,' he said.
The contest
The incumbent president of the sangha Chandrakanth Bellad is being challenged by the former MLC Mohan Limbikai. Historian Hanumakshi Gogi is too in the fray.
There is a direct fight for the general secretary's post too with incumbent general secretary Shankar Halgatthi being challenged by Prakash Udakeri of the Patil Puttappa faction.
For the working president's post, there is a direct fight between Basavaprabhu Hosakeri and journalist Manojkumar Gouda Patil.
And, Sanjeev Kulkarni, Sharanappa Kotagi and D.M. Hiremath are in the race for the vice-president's post.
For the treasurer's post, the contenders are Satish Turmuri, Veeranna Yalali and Sanjeev Dhumakanal. As many as 28 candidates are in the fray for the seven-member executive committee.
The counting of votes will take place on Monday and a clear picture is likely to emerge by afternoon.
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