Karnataka elections | Heavy rains leave Bengaluru neighbourhoods flooded; bad weather may play spoilsport on poll day

Heavy rains left many neighbourhoods, especially in South Bengaluru, flooded on May 8.

However, the biggest worry now is whether bad weather could play spoilsport on election day on May 10.

Many areas in South Bengaluru, such as Bannerghatta Road, JP Nagar, Giri Nagar, Basavanagudi and Banashankari, witnessed flooding and massive traffic congestion on Monday evening.

The meteorological department has predicted the possibility of rain till May 14 due to cyclone 'Mocha'. On Monday, a Met department official said the observatory at Bengaluru City recorded 5.9mm of rain, Kempegowda International Airport recorded 6.4mm, and HAL airport recorded 3.9mm.

For May 10 (election day), the Met department has issued forecast of a "generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rains or thundershowers." Heavy rain is likely to give jitters to both ruling and opposition parties. While the BJP is more likely to face the wrath, many opposition MLAs who served as MLAs and ministers in the past could also face anti-incumbency due to poor infrastructure. Heavy rains could also discourage people from coming out to vote. Bengaluru region has 28 assembly constituencies, including 15 BJP MLAs, while Congress has 12 and JD(S) one.

@BbmpchdTeam ....
Excellent Bbmp work all the homes are in water ️️️....
Help or rallies??
The Election Commission has scheduled polling day on Wednesday to avoid people taking extended holidays and heading out of the city. The voter turnout in Bengaluru during the 2013 and 2018 assembly polls was 62 percent and 57 percent, respectively. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Bengaluru's turnout was 54.1 percent— even lower than the 56 percent recorded in 2014.