Karnataka Elections 2023 Live: "The decision is done. It's taken. We will announce it to the public when it is right time to," senior JD(S) leader Tanveer Ahmed told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
The BJP has denied it had contacted the JD(S) and continued to exude confidence about a clear mandate.
113 needed to win Karnataka. Click for counting day action
BJP's Shobha Karandlaje said there is "no question of coalition at all, the BJP has not contacted the JD(S)", according to a report by NDTV
"We are sure to get 120 seats. After gathering information on the ground from our karyakartas yesterday, we have arrived at a number -- 120," she added, as quoted in the report.
Despite BJP denials, the JD(S) reiterated that it has approached the party about forming a government.
"Yes, both (BJP and the Congress) have tried reaching out to us... The JD(S) is in such a position today that parties would like to reach out to us," said Tanveer Ahmed.
A total of 737 Theme-based and ethnic Model Polling stations were set up. At 239 Polling stations set up in the state, voters were greeted by PwD staff. As part of the initiative of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to inspire young voters to participate in the festival of democracy, 286 Polling Stations set up were managed by the youngest available staff. There were over 11.71 lakh first-time voters registered in the state.
Congress state president D K Shivakumar on May 12 junked the exit poll results in which the party, though it gains the highest number of seats, has to contend with a hung Assembly. He insisted that the party will win at least 141 seats and form a majority government.
There was a wave in favour of the Congress, Shivakumar said, a day ahead of Saturday's counting of votes of the Assembly election.
He also ruled out the possibility of return of 'resort politics' saying that "era ended 25 years ago".
According to the Election Commission (EC), Karnataka recorded a 73.19 per cent voter turnout in the May 10 assembly elections, the highest-ever voter turnout in the southern state.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications said, “Congress' victory in Karnataka is PM Modi's defeat because no one campaigned in Karnataka except him. After (BJP's) Karnataka's defeat, Delhi's door is open for Congress in 2024.”
A day before counting of votes polled in the Karnataka Assembly elections, both the ruling BJP and the Congress on Friday went into huddles and held strategy sessions on ways to keep the flock together. They also considered reaching out to independent candidates who are likely to win, as most exit polls predicted a tight contest between the two parties. Hectic parleys were on at Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge's residence here, with AICC general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, party's state unit chief D K Shivakumar and former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara among others.
From 6 am on Saturday to 12 am on Sunday, there will be a clampdown in the Bengaluru police commissionerate region, which includes a prohibition on the sale of alcohol.
Traffic restrictions and no parking instructions were imposed around counting centres including Mount Carmel College, Vasanthanagar, St Joseph's Indian High School, BMS Ladies College, Basavangudi, SSMRV College, Tilaknagar and Akash International School, Devanahalli.
#WATCH | Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, "We are winning in Karnataka because we levelled allegations of "40% commission Govt" against CM Bommai and people trusted us. We had done the same in Rajasthan. But if we don't work on it within 4.5 years, how will we make ourselves… https://t.co/BSwMBaaWWF pic.twitter.com/ujuPQ3csEp
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) May 12, 2023
One day prior to counting day forKarnatakaAssembly elections,ChiefMinisterBasavarajBommaion Friday held a key meeting with the top leaders of theBharatiyaJanataParty from the state. This meeting was held at the residence of formerKarnatakaCM BCYediyurappainBengaluru
-Congress state president D KShivakumaron Friday junked the exit poll results in which the party, though it gains the highest number of seats, has to contend with a hung Assembly. He insisted that the party will win at least 141 seats and form a majority government.
-He also ruled out the possibility of return of 'resort politics' saying that "era ended 25 years ago".
-"I don't trust exit polls. I have trust in 141 seats. Our sample size is much bigger. Exit poll sample size is small. There is a major wave infavourof the Congress,"Shivakumartold reporters inBengaluru.
I want to thank the 6.5 crore people of Karnataka who have voted for the Congress party. Let us wait till tomorrow, till the results are out. BJP has admitted their defeat. Congress party will form the government and we will serve the people of Karnataka, says Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala
-Exitpolls have their own theory. We don't go by those samples, my sample size is too high and in that, we will have a comfortable majority. I do not know about JD(S), let them take their own call. I don't have any backup plan, my only plan is that Congress party will come to power, statedKarnatakaCongress presidentDKShivakumar
