JD (S) candidate Shivabasappa's defeat by a meagre margin of 257 votes was because of a confusion in the minds of some illiterate voters, claim JD (S) party workers.
Voters had to press the first button on the electronic voting machine to vote for Shivabasappa. But they mistook the button at the bottom to be the first button, due to their ignorance.
During campaigning, the JD (S) party workers had repeatedly told the illiterate voters "not to forget to press the first button on the EVM" to elect Shivabasappa. However, the question was: Which was the first button? First button from the top or from the bottom? This critical point was not made clear to the illiterate voters. Naturally, these voters thought the first button began from the bottom and pressed it.
Result: Disaster for JD (S).
"Many voters intending to cast their votes in favour of Shivabasappa, pressed the first button from the bottom, which was assigned to Sarvotham, an independent candidate," said several JD (S) party workers on the election day (Dec. 4) itself and added that since the error was detected in the morning itself, they cautioned other voters to take care to press the topmost button on the EVM. Probably, as the result indicated, it was too late in the day by then.
Sarvotham, maintaining the third position throughout the counting of 27 rounds yesterday, ended it with 4,183 votes. While leaving the counting hall, Sarvotham claimed that he, as a candidate in the third position, would be declared elected as the Election Commission of India (ECI) would take action against JD (S) and Congress candidates, for violation of the election code of conduct. Some hope this!
Courtesy: Star of Mysore
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