Congress survey: Not Siddaramaiah, H D Kumaraswamy is CM front-runner!

Bengaluru: A pre-poll survey by an agency, CHS, that predicts a hung assembly for Karnataka in May 2018, has raised quite a few eyebrows as it gives the Janata Dal(S) a  whopping 65 seats and warns the ruling party could lose 40 to 50 seats in comparison to 2013 .

Leaked to the media on a day when state Congress leaders were scheduled to meet AICC president, Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, the survey also gives the BJP a possible win in 73 to 76 constituencies and recommends that announcing a Dalit Chief Minister before the elections could bring the Congress substantial votes.

Interestingly, the survey done in December while CM Siddaramaiah was on his statewide tour, says he is only the "third preferred choice" for the CM's post with JD(S) state chief, H. D. Kumaraswamy getting the most votes for the top job, followed by BJP state chief, B. S. Yeddyurappa.

While detractors of KPCC chief, Dr G Parameshwar could argue that the survey which the Congress appears to have commissioned itself, is tailored to suit his ends, the fact that the JDS  has been given more prominence than both the national parties seems to have confounded many. Efforts to contact Mr Kumaraswamy for his reaction to the survey proved unsuccessful.

A pre-poll survey by an agency, CHS, has  predicted a hung assembly for Karnataka in  May 2018, and gives the Janata Dal(S) a whopping 65 seats while indicating a strong anti-incumbency wave in the state.

If the survey is to be believed  the ruling Congress could be in deep trouble as it predicts it could lose 40 to 50 seats in comparison to 2013 and  gives the  BJP a possible win in 73 to 76 constituencies. 

Interestingly, the survey done in December while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was on his state- wide tour, says he is only the "third preferred choice" for the CM's post with JD(S) state chief, H. D. Kumarswamy getting the most votes for the top job, followed by BJP state chief, B. S. Yeddyurappa. What is even more interesting is its recommendation that announcing a Dalit Chief Minister before the elections could bring the Congress substantial votes.

In yet another downer for Mr Siddaramaiah , the report says the people have become indifferent to the Congress owing to his "arrogance." But it concedes his Bhagya series of schemes have received a good response in the state.  Even more damaging to the Congress, the report , submitted in December to KPCC chief, Dr G. Parameshwara, claims the ruling Congress has miserably failed in creating employment and this is turning the youth against it.  It also warns that the "helplessness of the state government" in handling the Cauvery and Mahadayi river disputes will prove a major setback for the ruling party. 

In a contradiction of sorts,  the CHS report maintains on one hand  that the lower strata of people are still with the Congress party and on the other that Mr Siddaramaiah's AHINDA policies are not getting the  expected results.

Interestingly, the survey was leaked to the media on a day when state Congress leaders were scheduled to meet AICC president, Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar, distanced himself from the report a pre-poll survey which landed in the hands of correspondents on a day when state Congress leaders met party president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, on Saturday.  

In statement released to the media, Dr Parameshwara said: “A private agency, CHS, carried out a survey and released it to the media. It claimed that it had conducted the survey as per the directions of KPCC president. We have not commissioned any survey. I express displeasure over the media highlighting the survey report as that of  the KPCC. At the time of elections, some vested interests would venture upon such mischief. I request the people of the state not to give ears to such survey reports. We will file a complaint with the cyber crime police against those who did this work.”