BJP's B Sriramalu performed 'gau pooja' (cow worship) before casting his vote. He is contesting against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Badami. Polling for the high-stakes Karnataka assembly elections got underway on Saturday morning. In what is projected as a tight race, voting is being held in 222 out of 224 seats in a three-cornered contest between the ruling Congress, the BJP and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda's JD(S). The polls for the Rajarajeswari Nagar constituency have been deferred to May 28 after a massive row over fraud voter ID cards. Election for the Jayanagara seat in Bengaluru was countermanded following the death of BJP candidate BN Vijaykumar.