Karnataka Election 2018: Weather likely to play spoilsport on polling day as IMD predicts heavy rains, thunderstorms

Campaigning for the Assembly election in Karnataka ended on Thursday, but bad weather is likely to play spoilsport on Saturday when the state votes to elect a new Assembly. According to news agency PTI, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning for thunderstorm accompanied with gusty winds at isolated places over Karnataka on 12 May when polling is scheduled to take place in the state. Based on weather forecasts that were released on Thursday — even as rainfall occurred at most places over coastal Karnataka and at a few places over the state’s interior — for the period between 10 May and 14 May, the IMD predicted heavy rainfall in south interior Karnataka on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_4384835” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] Based on the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) predictions, heavy rainfall is expected to take place in the second half of the day, The News Minute reported while advising voters to head to polling centres early. Heavy showers, up to 64 mm, could be witnessed in isolated places in the Malnad region, including at Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Shivamogga, the report added. According to NDTV, widespread rain and thunderstorms are likely to take place over isolated places in Karnataka during the five-day period. IMD forecasts also showed a dust storm accompanied with heavy rain in south Karnataka on 15 May when counting of votes is scheduled to take place. IMD forecasts indicate the temperature will get hotter on 15 May with the maximum temperature expected around 41-44 degrees Celsius, about 2-3 degrees above the normal temperature, PTI said. Polling in Karnataka will be held in a single phase on 12 May for all 224 Assembly seats, which includes 36 seats reserved for scheduled castes and 15 for scheduled tribes. A total of 2,655 candidates are in the fray, with 224 from BJP, 222 from Congress and 201 from JD(S). BSP fielded 18 candidates, CPI 2, CPM 19, NCP 14, whereas 800 candidates are from registered and unrecognised parties and 1,155 Independent candidates. With inputs from PTI