Bangalore : Voting in Karnataka for all 28 Lok Sabha seats has begun. Nearly 4.62 crore people are eligible to exercise their franchise in the single-phase election.

This Lok Sabha election has become a true battle of prestige for over a dozen leaders from different political parties. As a well known analyst says prestige of these leaders is at stake in this election.

Karnataka witnessed intense campaign by both national as well as state bigwigs for a sharply bipolar fight. Among all stalwarts, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda is the senior most. He is fighting his last big battle from his bastion Hassan in south Karnataka on Thursday. This is Gowda’s 16th direct election. He has won 13 of the total 15 direct elections he fought since 1962.

Nearly 4.62 crore people are eligible to exercise their franchise in the single-phase election in the state.

This time Gowda is facing a tough fight. The ruling Congress is Karnataka has fielded a sitting MLA A Manju against him. The BJP has fielded an ex-MP from Mysore CH Vijayashankar. According to ground reports, sympathy factor is working for Gowda and he will most likely sail through.

His son and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy is contesting from Chikballapur against Union Minister and another former chief minister M Veerappa Moily. Moily is facing serious charges of corruption and battling anti-incumbency. Even a renowned Gandhian and freedom fighter HS Doreswamy, who considered a conscience keeper of Karnataka has appealed to the voters to defeat Moily.

The BJP is trying to win the seat by pushing both Moily and Kumaraswamy to second and third spots.

There is a visible wave of Narendra Modi in major cities and some urban areas. But, in rural areas, caste still is a dominant factor. Siddaramaiah, who became the chief minister after the Congress returned to power after 9 years in May 2013, is trying his best to win at least 15 Lok Sabha seats for the party. He is aware of the fact that if the Congress gets less than that, his chair will be under threat.

The most interesting election is being fought in the prestigious Bangalore South. IT giant Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani is making his electoral debut against five time BJP MP and former Union minister Ananth Kumar. Kumar is fighting anti-incumbency. But, a ‘mini Modi wave’ seems to be working in his favour this time. The RSS is backing him fully.

In Shimoga, former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa is defending his son’s seat. He is facing his arch rival in the district politics former chief minister late S Bangarappa’s daughter Geetha Shivarajkumar. Since she is married to Kannada thespian Rajkumar’s son and a famous Kannada hero Shivarajkumar, many bigwigs from the film fraternity backing her candidature. She is contesting on the JDS ticket.

In Bellary, B Sriramulu of the BJP is taking on Justice NY Hanumanthappa of the Congress. Sriramulu, a close confidante of the illegal mining mafia dons Reddy brothers. His return to the BJP was opposed by Sushma Swaraj and he is also facing anti-Reddy sentiments in the district. However both Rajnath Singh and Narendra Modi are backing him fully.

Out of 28 seats in Karnataka, BJP has 18 sitting MPs, Congress 8 and JDS 1.