Bidar: An estimated 40 per cent of the 13.74 lakh voters today (Oct 13, 2004) cast their ballot in the prestigious by-election to the Bidar Lok Sabha constituency in northern Karnataka which is saw a keen triangular contest between the ruling coalition partners, Congress and JDS (Janata Dal-Secular) and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party).

Polling began on a dull note and did not pick up as the day wore on but passed off peacefully amidst tight security, official sources said.

The election had become all the more interesting because of the contest between Congress and JDS who failed to field a combined candidate of their coalition against BJP.

BJP has fielded Basavaraj Arya, son of Ramachandra Veerappa, the nonagenarian popular leader in Bidar whose death has caused the by-election. BJP tried to cash in on the sympathy factor and the goodwill earned by Veerappa who had been winning the seat consecutively since 1991.

Congress' Narasingarao Suryavanshi is a veteran of seven elections, three of which he won while JDS candidate Babu Honna Naiak belongs to the Banjara community, a caste which has a strong presence in the constituency.

Playing for high stakes, Chief Minister N Dharam Singh had campaigned vigorously as also former Prime Minister and JDS leader H D Devegowda but had refrained from making any critical references to each other's party bound as they are by their coalition. BJP State leadership also spared no efforts in trying to retain its stronghold over the constituency in the backward region of northern tip of Karnataka.