Polls 2023 In Photos: Who's Who of Karnataka Politicians Cast Vote Amid Fanfare

KPCC President DK Shivakumar and former Karnataka Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah and BS Yediyurappa cast their vote.

Polling for Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 began at 7 am on 10 May.

(Image: Soundarya Athimuthu/The Quint)

Former Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, who is contesting from Varuna constituency, cast his vote on 10 May. Siddaramaiah, a leader who has experience working with both the JD(S) and Congress, is one among the aspirants for Karnataka CM post. In an earlier interview with The Quint, Siddaramaiah had said that the people of Varuna wanted him to contest from the seat and become the CM. 

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President DK Shivakumar, who is the official candidate from Kanakapura consituency, is contesting against the BJP's R Ashoka. A Vokkaliga leader, Shivakumar had asked voters to look at LPG cylinders before casting their vote to remind themselves of burgeoning prices of LPG and other essentials under the BJP government. The Congress' campaign has been centered around accusing the BJP of widespread corruption in governance. Shivakumar cast his vote after offering prayers.

Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa cast his vote for Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 in Shikaripura constituency along with his family. His son BY Vijayendra (third from left) is the contesting candidate at Shikaripura. A strong Lingayat leader of the BJP, Yediyurappa did not contest election this year. Though he campaigned widely for the BJP, his absence from the candidates' list had caused worry for some sections within the BJP who think Yediyurappa alone built the saffron party's base in Karnataka.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who assumed the top office in the state in July 2021 is the BJP's Shiggaon candiadte. After he came to power in the state, the BJP took a tactical pivot concentrating on consolidation of votes over Hindutva. His predecessor BS Yediyurappa was known to be a a BJP leader who refined caste engineering to come to power in Karnataka. The 2023 Assembly election is expected to be an acid test of the BJP's Hindutva push in Karnataka. Bommai cast his vote after offering prayers.

All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also a leader from Karnataka, cast his vote in the state on 10 May. Kharge is believed to have managed internal squabbles for seats within the Congress well. Kharge has also managed political rivalry between DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, those in the know had earlier told The Quint.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi casts his vote. Joshi is one among the leaders who had actively campaigned in Karnataka polls 2023. It is believed in Karnataka political circles that Joshi wants to be considered for Chief Minister's post if the BJP comes to power in Karnataka. 

Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje offers prayers before a Bajrangbali mural at a temple before casting her vote. She had earlier termed the Congress' promise to possibly ban the Bajrang Dal, if it engages in promoting enmity between communities, an attempt to insult Lord Hanuman. The Congress had also promised to ban Popular Front of India, if it engages in similar communal activities. 

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cast her vote for Karnataka Assembly elections, in Bengaluru. Sitaraman was largely missing from the BJP's political campaign in Karnataka.

Dattatreya Hosabale, General Secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) casts his vote. Hosabale is believed to be a close confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.