Exit polls predict hung verdict in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Various exit poll surveys conducted in Karnataka indicate that the State is heading for a hung Assembly with Congress party taking a lead in the polls winning more seats than the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  The counting will be held on Saturday.

Going by the surveys, Janata Dal Secular (JDS) finishes third in the fray and emerges as the king-maker. While three exit polls point at hung assembly but Zee Matrize exit poll indicate at Congress getting a simple majority winning in about 118 seats.

As per the exit poll TV9 Kannada-CVOTER, Congress is expected to win 100 to 112 seats while the BJP in 83-98 seats and JDS 21-29 seats. Others would win in 2 to 6 seats.

Zee Matrize exit poll survey suggests that Congress would win in 108-118 seats, BJP in 79-89 and JDS in 25-35 seats and others in 2-6 seats while TV9-POLSTRAT pointed at Congress winning 99-109 seats, BJP in 88-98 seats, JDS in 21-26 and others 4 seats.

Republic-PMARQ exit poll, Congress would get 94-108 seats, BJP in 85-100, JDS in 24-32 and others 2-6 seats.

In 2008, JDS and BJP formed the coalition government and then JDS leader H.D. Kumaraswamy became the Chief Minister and BJP’s B.S. Yediyurappa became his deputy. In 2018 alliance between the Congress and the JDS, then also H.D. Kumaraswamy of JDS became the CM.