Karnataka state polls most expensive ever in terms of expenditure by parties and candidates: Survey
The Centre for Media Studies, which describes itself as a not-for-profit, multi-disciplinary development research and facilitative think-tank on its website, has described the electoral exercise as "money guzzler".
According to the CMS, the money spent by various political parties and their candidates in the Karnataka assembly polls is in the range of Rs 9,500-10,500 crore, which is more than twice of what was spent in the previous assembly poll in the state in 2013.
Power tariff hiked in Karnataka 2 days after polling
Two days after the polling to the Karnataka assembly, the power tariff in the state was today increased by 5.30 percent overall with the hike per unit
ranging from a minimum of 20 paise to a maximum of 60 paise.Announcing the increase effective from April 1 last, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission said the increase for domestic consumers would be 25 paise per unit in areas covered by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM).For areas outside the BESCOM limits where the consumption was between 0 to 30 KWH, the hike would be 20 paise per unit, it said.
KERC chairperson M K Shankarlinge Gowda said various electricity supply companies (ESCOMs) -- there are five in the state -- had sought a differential tariff hike ranging between 82 paise to 162 paise per unit."As a uniform tariff is in vogue hitherto in the state, the commission has approved uniform increase across all ESCOMs with a marginal differential increase in BESCOM area," he told reporters.
Chief Ministerial candidates from the contesting parties, the Congress, JD(S) and the BJP, have rubbished exit polls and have expressed confidence in their own victory.
Click here to read what they have said
Repolling in Hebbal, Kushtagi to end at 6 pm today
Meanwhile, the repoll at three polling stations in the state are underway. Two of these stations are in Kushtagi constituency, Koppal while there is one in Hebbal, Bengaluru. The repoll will end at 6.00 pm today.
Repolling in Hebbal’s Lottegollahalli polling station was necessitated after the EVM developed a snag.
The Kushtagi repoll was necessitated due to a procedural error. As many as 275 voters were shifted from the booth number 20 to 21, however, their names remained on booth number 20’s list. Hence, repolling is being held in both booths.
Manmohan Singh, Congress write to President Kovind over PM Modi's 'threatening language'
Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have written to President Ram Nath Kovind objecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public address during the Karnataka Assembly election campaign.
Singh has said that the words used by PM Modi during his speech in Hubli, Karnataka are threatening.
Singh has asked President Kovind to caution PM Modi from using ‘threatening and intimidating language’ against the leaders of the Congress Party or any other party of person as it does not behove position of the prime minister.
The letter was also signed by Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party M Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior Congress leaders.
The letter also pointed out the negation of Constitutional oath taken by PM Modi.
“The President of India as the constitutional head of the union of India enjoys high duty and obligation to advise and guide the Prime Minister and his cabinet,” the letter added.
Will give in writing that BJP will win polls with absolute majority: BS Yeddyurappa
BJP's CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa on Sunday said that he will ‘give it in writing’ that the saffron party would win the Assembly elections with an absolute majority and get 125 to 130 seats.
He claimed that there is a strong wave in BJP's favour. "I have been in Karnataka politics for long... I will give it in writing. BJP is winning with an absolute majority the Karnataka elections. You can verify it once the results are out," he told reporters here.
Congress in talks with JD(S) for a post-poll alliance: Report
The Congress party is reached out to the Janata Dal (Secular) to help form the government in Karnataka, in an event of a hung assembly, sources have told CNN News18.
The report has also suggested that JD(S)’s HD Kumaraswamy has flown to Singapore and has been negotiating from there.
CM Siddaramaiah had on Sunday said he is open to making way for a Dalit chief minister if the Congress High Command decides so.
To a question on the possibility of a Dalit chief minister, he said, "It is fine if the party decides to have a Dalit chief minister."
Siddaramaiah's statement was seen as a hint that the Congress was seeking an alliance with the HD Deve Gowda-led party, with exit polls predicting a hung House where the JD(S) would emerge as the kingmaker.
Read the story here.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he is open to making way for a Dalit chief minister if the Congress High Command decides so.
To a question on the possibility of a Dalit chief minister, he said, "It is fine if the party decides to have a Dalit chief minister."
Siddaramaiah's statement came as speculation mounted over post-poll scenarios, with exit polls predicting a hung House where the JD(S) would emerge as the kingmaker.
Voter turnout highest in state since 1952 Assembly polls, says CEO
Setting a record,72.13 percent of Karnataka's over 4.97 crore voters exercised their franchise in the assembly polls yesterday, the state Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar said Sunday, as he gave the revisedfigure of the voter turnout, according to a report by PTI.
Election officials had said yesterday that an estimated 70 percent of the electors had cast their votes. Kumar said the voter percentage was the highest since the 1952 assembly polls.
"The voter turnout in the polls broke all records last night. By midnight, the figures showed that it was 72.13 percent," he told PTI.The turnout was the highest-ever in Karnataka since the 1952 Assembly elections, he said. (PTI)
Karnataka Polls 2018: Bloated electoral rolls, not voter apathy main reason for poor turnout in Bengaluru
Bengaluru’s voting population is being ridiculed by the entire Karnataka for the low voter turnout of less than 50 percent as compared to the state average of 71 percent. Is urban apathy the only reason for poor show or is there more to it than meets the eye?
While urbanites are usually accused of being lackadaisical, studies show that the turnout in Bengaluru is not actually low but appears to be so due to the bloated voters list. Much before the elections, Citizen Matters, an NGO, had predicted the city would record a poor turnout due to faulty electoral rolls.
Karnataka Exit Polls analysis: Results predict split verdict in the state; JD(S) may play kingmaker
Making sense of the exit polls is impossible as each of them is way off the mark from the other. The only common factor is that former prime minister HD Deve Gowda’s Janata Dal (Secular) may emerge as kingmaker.
A comparative study of various polls shows that there is no consensus running through them, except that no party will get a majority of its own. Some surveys say the ruling Congress will emerge as the single largest party, while others bet on the BJP.
Click here for article.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath confident of winning in Karnataka
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today accused the Congress of misusing its powers in Karnataka and exuded confidence that the BJP would form government in the southern state with a clear majority.
Around 44% voters in Bangalore Urban exercised their right, while Bangalore Rural saw 72.5% turnout, reports India Today
BJP candidate alleges vote rigging
"I'm the BJP candidate from BTM constituency. When I was visiting booths today, I was surprised to see people with lots of ID cards. They were ticking, calling people and giving them IDs asking them to vote. Later, the IDs were again given back there," claimed G Lallesh Reddy.
He added, "I entered there and questioned but no one supported me. A man was making a video of it when his mobile was snatched away. Several Congress people threatened to kill us. I told concerned officers, they assured action but nothing has happened yet. We'll inform the Election Commission."
"There’s absolutely no Modi wave in Karnataka, Congress will win with clear majority," says Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, after exit polls were out
BJP's CM candidate and Lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa has said the saffron party will win 150 seats. Meanwhile, JD(S) has reposed confidence in their party winning in at least 90 seats.
Will win Karnataka: Ghulam Nabi Azad
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We will win Karnataka. In fact, we will win three more states in the North in the upcoming months."
BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa also tweeted his gratitude. He said, "Thank you Karnataka! Gratitude to the people of Karnataka for voting in large numbers today. @BJP4Karnataka is headed towards a landslide victory with all your blessings and support!"
Times Now-Chanakya Exit Poll
Congress: 73
BJP: 120
JD(S): 26
Others: 3
Congress may get highest voter percentage across age groups: India Today-Axis My India exit poll
The Congress is likely to receive maximum voter percentage across all age groups in the Karnataka elections, according to the India Today-Axis My India exit polls.
While 37% voters between 18 and 25 years voted for Congress, 36% voted for BJP and 18% voted for JD-S. Around 9% voted for others.
Around 39% voters in the age brackets of 26-35, 36-50 and 51-60 years voted for Congress while 36% voters above the age of 60 voted for the saffron party.
100% increase in first time voters has been reported in KarnatakaElections 2018, reports News18
Answering on possibilities of hung assembly, CM Siddaramaiah said, "The Congress will get clear majority."
Reacting to India Today-Axis exit poll, Chief minister Siddaramaiahsays, "I was expecting this. The exit poll by India Today is closer to truth. For 6 months now, I have been saying the same thing. I understand the pulse of the people, so I was confident that Congress will win majority and come to power."
He further added, "In north Karnataka, JDS doesnt have a single MLA. How can they get majority?"
He also said, "In many constituencies, BJP and JD(S) are hand-in-hand and have tacit understanding."
News Nation Exit Poll
Congress: 71-75
BJP: 105-109
JD(S): 36-40
Others: 3-5
Congress wave in Karnataka'
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"We are very confident that we are going to form the government again. There is a strong wave in favour of the Congress," said KC Venugopal, Congress
Dighvijay 24/7 News Prediction
Congress: 76-80
BJP: 103-107
JD(S): 31-35
Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai tweets, "Key to this election: large switch of Dalits and Muslims away from JD S in Mysore; in Hyd-Karnataka and Bellary, its again Dalit-Muslim coalition.. Lingayats staying with BJP.."
Suvarna's prediction for Karnataka
Congress: 106-118
BJP: 79-92
JD(S): 22-30
Others: 1-4
CVoter Exit Poll
Congress 93
BJP 103
JD(S) 25
Others 1
NewsX-CNX Exit Poll
BJP: 102-110
Congress: 72-78
JD(S): 35-39
Republic Jan Ki Baat also gives BJP the edge
BJP: 95-114
Congress: 73-82
JD(S): 32-43
ABP-CSDS Poll: Hung Assembly in Karnataka With BJP Largest Party
BJP: 89-95
Congress: 85-91
JD(S): 32-38
Times Now-VMR Vote Share
Congress: 38.4
BJP: 34.6
JD(S): 19.8
Others: 7.2
Times Now-VMR Exit Poll
Congress: 90-103
BJP: 80-93
JD(S): 31-39
Congress has the edge, hung assembly not ruled out
India Today-Axis My India Exit Poll:
Congress: 106-118
BJP: 79-92
JD(S): 22-30
Others: 1-4
157 control units had problems: Election Commission
The Election Commission said in all the 164 polling units, 157 control units and 470 VVPATs had mechanical problems and were replaced. The EVM failures were within prescribed limits
Voting ends in Karnataka
Voting ends in all 222 seats in Karnataka. Repolling has been ordered in 2 booths. Multiple incidents of EVM malfunction and cash-for-votes have been reported.
Repolling in Hebbal constituency seat
Re-polling to take place in Hebbal assembly constituency's Polling Station Number 2 after polling was stopped due to EVM failure
164 polling units, 157 control units and 470 VVPATs have malfunctioned so far during the polling process today
With 30 minutes to go, all eyes set on exit polls
Media houses are barred from revealing or discussing poll results,according to the Model Code of Conduct. Now, with the polling ending at 6 pm in Karnataka, results of multiple state-wide electoral surveys are expected soon.
Congress leader complains of faulty EVMs
Congress' Brijesh Kalappa tweeted regarding complaints of faulty EVMs, including a booth in Bengaluru where he alleged all votes were going to the 'lotus'. He added that the party would take it up with Election Commission
Most opinion polls have predicted a fractured verdict for the three-way contest between the incumbent Congress, BJP and possible kingmaker JD(S). The results will be out on May 15.
EVM malfunction at Bengaluru booth
Polling officials stopped voting at booth no. 2 in Bengaluru's Dollars colony. At least 1,000 voters were registered here. About 50 of them voted in the morning after which officials realised something was wrong with the EVM. Voters are being told not to vote now.
Congress candidate's car attacked
Congress candidate from Holenarasiur, BP Manje Gowda, alleged that he was attacked by JD(S) party workers at Parasanahalli. Gowda said they threw stones at his car, adding that his assistant had suffered a head injury in the incident.
Karnataka Election 2018 Exit Poll: What to expect and where to watch
Exit polls are set to be declared for Karnataka, which held its Assembly Elections 2018 voting today. Various news channels, in association with research firms, will put out their official election forecasts compiled after polling voters soon after they have cast their ballots.
A majority of opinion polls conducted by various news channels, done ahead of elections, have forecast a hung assembly in Karnataka, with the Congress, on average, expected to notch up 96 seats while BJP is seen getting 87 seats. The Janata Dal (Secular) is expected to garner 36 seats.
Popular opinion polls that were conducted include ABP News-Lokniti-CSDS, India Today-Karvy, Times Now-VMR and India TV poll.Exit polls are generally considered to be more accurate than opinion polls.
Several incidents of cash-for-votes are being reported from across the state. Congress and BJPare pointing fingers at each other.
"In my constituency, I am quite confident that I will make it. We respect PM, he is the PM of the country and not BJP. He should be like a statesman and should not stoop so low," said Roshan Baig of Congress after casting his vote.
