Bengaluru, April 26: Former cricketer Rahul Dravid and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cast their votes in Bengaluru polling stations after voting for Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha seats began on Friday.

Rahul Dravid arrived at the Sriraksha School in Malleshwaram locality of Bengaluru, stood in the queue and exercised his franchise. After voting, Dravid appealed to the people to come out of their houses and create a new record in terms of voting. He also praised the facilities and arrangements made for voters at the polling booths.

Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman arrived at the polling booth in Jayanagar and cast her vote. Religious seers of Astha Maths in Udupi, Siddaganga Seer of Tumakuru Siddaganga Mutt have also exercised their franchise.

BJP candidate from Tumakuru Lok Sabha seat V. Somanna, senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, Bengaluru North Congress candidate M.V. Rajeev Gowda exercised their franchise in their respective polling stations.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath has casted his vote at the Jakkur Primary school in Bengaluru along with his wife Manika Girinath.

Voting across 30,602 polling booths is underway in 14 Lok Sabha seats in state, primarily located in south Karnataka. There are more than 2.88 crore eligible voters in these constituencies

Among those in the fray include Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje (Bengaluru North), former CM and state JD-S President H.D. Kumaraswamy (Mandya), Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar's brother D.K. Suresh (Bengaluru Rural), Tejasvi Surya (Bengaluru South), former PM H.D. Deve Gowda's son-in-law C.N. Manjunath (Bengaluru Rural), royal scion Yaduveer Wadiyar (Mysuru-Kodagu), and senior BJP leader V. Somanna (Tumakuru) among others.

The special arrangements have been made to ensure smooth polling in the high-profile Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha Constituency. The constituency is witnessing a close contest between Congress candidate D.K. Suresh and BJP's Dr. C.N. Manjunath.

Karnataka has 28 parliamentary seats and polling in the remaining 14 constituencies is slated for May 7.

(IANS)