Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah is leading in Varuna by 2,710 votes against BJP minister V Somanna. According to election commission data, Somanna has received 3,866 votes.
The constituency is currently represented by the senior Congress leader's son Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah. Siddaramaiah had earlier reiterated that this would be his last election and virtually laid out a "succession plan" of sorts.
He is an eight-time MLA. He had earlier won twice from Varuna, and went on to become the Leader of Opposition after winning from here in 2008, and then became Chief Minister after 2013 Assembly polls.
Siddaramaiah while a addressing public meeting said this will be his last election. After contesting this polls, he will retire from electoral politics, but not from politics.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has fielded Minister V Somanna from Varuna to take on Siddaramaiah. He is also be contesting from another constituency - Chamarajanagar. Both the leaders did not contest from this constituency last time. Earlier in 2018, Somanna had won from Govindaraja Nagar in Bengaluru. He is a former Congress leader who switched to BJP in 2009.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Wednesday alleged that the ruling BJP wants to win the Assembly election with "money power" as they "do not have any developmental works to showcase" to the people.
He also charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with being silent on price rise, unemployment and corruption in the state during his series of public meetings while campaigning for the elections taking place today.
"Money has been flowing (in the election). Now what else BJP has (done) to go to the voters other than giving them money? What can they say about the state except that they have money? What development have they made?" the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, who is contesting from Varuna in Mysuru district, said.
(With inputs from PTI)
