More paramilitary forces to be deployed in high-profile Bengaluru Rural LS seat, says EC

The State Election Commission has decided to make special arrangements for the high-profile Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha Constituency.

The constituency is witnessing a close contest between Congress candidate D.K. Suresh and BJP’s Dr. C.N. Manjunath.

Manoj Kumar Meena, the State Chief Electoral Officer, said on Wednesday that all 2,829 polling stations of the constituency will be equipped with the webcasting system. The live pictures of all polling stations could be watched from the office of the District Commissioner and the State Election Commission.

“It has been decided to provide more than double the paramilitary force in the Lok Sabha Constituency. This has been done as per the report of observers and authorities. Seven companies of paramilitary forces will be deployed,” Meena explained.

Congress contestant Suresh is the brother of Karnataka Congress President and DyCM D.K. Shivakumar and BJP candidate Manjunath is the son-in-law of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. The incidents of stabbing, attacks on party workers, and distribution of freebies have been reported in the constituency.

The constituency runs through Bengaluru Urban, Ramanagara and Tumakuru districts.

Suresh was the only person to win from the Congress party in Karnataka from the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 general election.