Karnataka Assembly Elections will be held on May 12 and the result will be declared on May 15, 2018, the Election Commission announced on Tuesday. Karnataka elections will be held in a single phase. Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that the model code of conduct has come into effect in the poll-bound state The elections are being held to choose the 224 members of the Karnataka Assembly whose tenure ends in May 2018. The polls are being seen politically crucial for the ruling Congress, as well as the BJP, as Karnataka is the only big state where the former is in power after losing a string of Assembly elections to the saffron party in the past few years. The BJP is making a concerted bid to unseat the Congress. Besides, the Congress and the BJP, another player in the fray is former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's JD(S). Currently, the Congress party holds a simple majority of 123 seats in the 224 constituencies’ strong Karnataka legislative assembly. The BJP holds 44 and the JD(s) has 40 seats respectively. BJP President Amit Shah on Monday asserted there was a "tsunami" in favour of his party which will not only defeat the ruling Congress but also 'uproot' it in the coming assembly polls in Karnataka. "After Gujarat elections, this is my Karnataka trip. Extraordinary enthusiasm is witnessed here. Earlier I was saying it was a BJP wave. Now I say it's a BJP tsunami" Shah said. Coming to Karnataka a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi ended his fourth round of visit, he said "Rahul Gandhi is touring. He has been saying that Congress government will come in Karnataka. "Since 2014 see the election records," he added citing BJP's winning streak since coming to power at the centre. What you must know about Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 1) BJP is 'Super Election Commission', says Cong after poll date leak The Congress dubbed the BJP "Super Election Commission", taking strong objection to its IT cell chief tweeting the date of the Karnataka Assembly election before the Election Commission had announced it. Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala also said the Election Commission's credibility was at test and asked if there would be any action against the ruling party and its chief Amit Shah. "BJP becomes the Super Election Commission' as they announce poll dates for Karnataka even before the EC. "Credibility of EC is on test. "Will EC now issue notice to BJP President, Amit Shah & register an FIR against BJP IT Head for leaking EC's confidential information?" Surjewala said on Twitter. 2) Important dates for Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 17 April: Issue of notification 24 April: Last date of nomination 25 April: Date of scrutiny 27 April: Last date of withdrawal of candidates 12 May: Date of Polling 15 May: Counting of votes/ Result day * Date of notification is April 17 and nominations should be filed by April 24. The last date of withdrawal of candidature is April 27. Counting of votes will take place on May 15. BJP becomes the ‘Super Election Commission’ as they announce poll dates for Karnataka even before the EC. Credibility of EC is on test. Will EC now issue notice to BJP President, Amit Shah & register an FIR against BJP IT Head for leaking EC’s confidential information? pic.twitter.com/i3vU2iJpjH This came days after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led government accepted the suggestions of the Nagamohan Das committee to grant a separate religion status to the Lingayats. The decision, taken ahead of the state Assembly election, was criticised by the Veerashaiva Lingayat Samanvaya Samiti and termed as politically motivated. The Lingayats owe loyalty to the social reform movement of the 12th century, initiated by Basaveshwara. Living mostly in North Karnataka, this community is believed to constitute 17 per cent of the state's population which makes them a key political catchment for parties. ALSO READ: Siddaramaiah govt announces minority status to Lingayats community The massive turnout in Mysuru, & every district travelled so far as part of the #JanaAashirwadaYatre, is testament to the public mood in the state. Karnataka is sure to lead the way for a resurgence of democratic, secular & inclusive politics under @INCIndia across the country. pic.twitter.com/OO5oPOiFFc
3) BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya tweets Karnataka poll dates before EC announcement: BJP's national Information and Technology cell head Amit Malviya on Tuesday tweeted about the dates of the Karnataka Assembly election before the Election Commission announced it through a press conference. Malviya seems to have deleted the tweet now, journalists questioned Malviya on how he got to know about the Karnataka poll dates before the Election Commission announced them. "It will be investigated. Be assured that actions legally and administratively befitting will be taken" said Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat. "Certain things may have leaked for which Election Commission will take appropriate action," Chief Election Commissioner added.
8) Different regions and historical voting trends: In Karnataka, the 2008 assembly elections was won by BJP comfortably with 110 seats, whereas the 2013 assembly elections was swept by the Congress by winning 122 seats. The alternating results and trends may suggest that any party is capable of performing well throughout the state on their given day. Karnataka is divided into 30 districts and 4 administrative divisions and this geography of Karnataka is contained within 6 distinct regions. Different factors make these 6 regions conducive for one party whereas unfavourable to others. Coastal region: The coastal region of Karnataka is a BJP stronghold Old Mysore region - All the three primary political outfits the BJP, Congress and JD(S) have somewhat equal influence in the Old Mysore region of the state. Bangalore region - In the Bangalore region the BJP has historically done well Mumbai-Karnataka region - The Mumbai-Karnataka region is dominated by the Lingayat community who have their inclination towards the BJP. Hyderabad-Karnataka region - The Hyderabad-Karnataka region of the state is also dominated by the Lingayats and Reddy brothers, both of which are traditionally BJP supporters. Thus BJP has an advantage here as well, but Mallikarjun Kharge a prominent backward class leader of the Congress and the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha belongs to the said region too. This will ensure advantage Congress on many seats which have sizeable votes from the backward community. Central Karnataka - In Central Karnataka both the BJP and the Congress are expecting to perform well. To understand this better click HERE 9) Amit Shah sees "BJP tsunami" coming in Karnataka: Amit Shah asserted there was a "tsunami" in favour of his party which will not only defeat the ruling Congress but also 'uproot' it in the coming assembly polls in Karnataka. He also lashed out at the Siddaramaiah government on multiple fronts, saying it had distanced itself from the people. "After Gujarat elections, this is my Karnataka trip. Extraordinary enthusiasm is witnessed here. Earlier I was saying it was a BJP wave. Now I say it's a BJP tsunami" Shah said. 10) 60 lakh new voters enrolled as new voters across Karnataka in February In February, chief electoral officer had announced that nearly 60 lakh people have enrolled as new voters across Karnataka ahead of the 15th Assembly elections, due in early May. "The number of new voters across the state has increased by 60 lakh, taking the total number of the electorate to 4.96 crore as per the tentative electoral rolls as against 4.36 crore voters in 2013 assembly elections," state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar said. According to the tentative electoral rolls, the number of male voters is 2.51 crore and female voters 2.44 crore. 'Lingayat move aimed at preventing Yeddyurappa from becoming CM': Amit Shah said that the Siddaramaiah government's move to accord separate religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats was aimed at preventing B S Yeddyurappa from becoming Chief Minister. "This Siddaramaiah government has brought this proposal, not because it has a love for Lingayats, but to prevent Yeddyurappa from becoming Chief Minister," he said addressing a Coconut Growers Convention here, as he began his two-day tour of election-bound Karnataka. "I want to tell Karnataka people that if BJP wins a majority, we will make Yeddyurappa Chief Minister," he added. Yeddyurappa is considered a Lingayat strongman.
In reality Siddaramaiah doesn’t have money to allocate to Kannada medium schools which is shutting down without having enough funds to run them however anti Kannada CM has crores of funds for Arabic schools. Siddarmaiah is also anti Karnataka #ShahSaffronisesKarnataka
— Sadananda Gowda (@DVSBJP) March 26, 2018
Amit Shah visits 110-year-old Lingayat seer Sri Shivakumara Swami: Shah on Monday began his two-day tour of Karnataka by visiting and seeking blessings of Sri Shivakumara Swami of Siddhaganga Mutt in Tumakuru, a revered seer of the Lingayat community. Shah's meeting with the seer is being seen as an attempt to reach out to the Lingayats/Veeshaivas, who are numerically and politically powerful in the state and form a major voter base for the BJP. The visit assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the Siddaramaiah government's move to recommend to the Centre to accord a religious minority tag to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats in an attempt to wean away a section of them from the BJP. "Today I had the good fortune to seek blessings from the 'Walking God' Sri Sri Sri Shivakumara Swamiji of SiddhagangaMutt, Tumakuru. His tireless work even at his advanced age is inspiring. His life is a living lesson and guiding light for all of us," Shah said in a tweet.Here is the schedule of public programs of our National President Shri @AmitShah. #KarunaduJagrutiYatre pic.twitter.com/5gHQTWtBVk
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 27, 2018
Rahul Gandhi's temple-run ahead of Karnataka elections: Congress president Rahul Gandhi landed in Mysore on Saturday and visited Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi hills. Before he had visited Gokharnatha temple at Mangalore, Saint Rozario Church and Ullal Dargah on the same day. The next day he took a helicopter ride to Sringeri Sharada Peetha founded by Adi Shankaracharya some 1300 years ago. It is the first Hindu monastery founded by Shankaracharya. The Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa has ridiculed Rahul Gandhi's temple run calling him an "Election time Hindu".Few more pictures from the roadshow in Shivamogga, Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/STNlbgut4u
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 26, 2018
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