Karnataka Election 2023 LIVE: Shivakumar Says Kharge, Sonia to Decide on CM Post; Kumaraswamy Open to Alliance With Conditions

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.

According to party sources, they discussed ways to keep the flock (newly elected MLAs) together, and also regarding reaching out to independents to muster numbers in case there was no clear mandate.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday reiterated that the BJP is all set to cross the magic number and will get the majority.

Google’s Bard was asked to give a response on – ‘Who will win the Karnataka elections?’ It said the results are still uncertain and shared the names of the major parties in the state — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and JDS.

B S Yediyurappa held an important meeting with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and others at his residence here ahead of poll results in Karnataka.

According to sources, the meeting was held at Yediyurappa’s residence with discussions revolving around exit poll results and attempts of Congress to get in touch with the JD(S), independents and other parties.

Sources explain that the leaders also discussed strategy to take up ‘Operation Lotus’ if the situation arises in the state. (IANS)

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge refused reports of Congress reaching to JD(S) and said his party would win a “thumping majority”.

“Nobody. We are reaching out to nobody,” Kharge told NDTV.

Karnataka unit Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Friday claimed there is a huge wave for his party in the state, while underlining that INC president Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi will take a decision on the chief ministerial post if the Congress is voted to power.

Speaking about “power sharing” between him and Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar told mediapersons: “The decision of Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi is final on this matter.”

The Election Commission (EC) rejected the Congress’ claim that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls were previously deployed in South Africa and asked the party to bring to justice “rumour-mongers” who targeted it with false information.

In a letter addressed to Randeep Singh Surjewala, the AICC in-charge of Karnataka, the EC said it had used new EVMs manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Limited for the polls in the southern state.

After exit polls hinted at a hung assembly in Karnataka, all eyes are on Janata Dal (S) which might emerge as a kingmaker if predictions proved true on May 13. But the big question remains where will the JD(S) go? HD Kumaraswamy had shared power with both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the past. Kumaraswamy has kept his options open this time and said he will extend support to a party which will fulfil his conditions. READ MORE

Congress Karnataka president D K Shivakumar said, “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 in favour of the Congress.” He also stated that the exit poll results fluctuate by 20 seats and the number he has given will only increase and not decrease. “I am not disputing the exit polls showing results in our favour. I thank them but we will get a clear majority. This is my firm belief,” he insisted.

JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan said: “The BJP is on its way out. Let 2024 come. The tone has been set in Karnataka where we expect a bigger defeat for BJP than what exit polls suggest. This would be despite the party resorting to every trick in the book and even the prime minister himself running a flagrantly communal campaign.”

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh dismissed speculations of a coalition government with JD(S), stating, “I am absolutely sure that JDS will disintegrate… This time I do not think that there is any scope for a coalition government with JDS.”

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh expressed confidence in the party’s victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections. “During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, we were there for 27 days in Karnataka and visited 7 districts. We don’t have any doubt. We will get majority votes. We have promised 5 guarantees in our manifesto, and because of these guarantees Congress is guaranteed to win,” he said.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said all exit polls have predicted the Congress party to be leading in the Karnataka elections, with none of them predicting a majority for the BJP. “This time in Karnataka, our strategy had only one principle that these are local elections, not elections for the post of Prime Minister. We have made our strategy vocal for local and hence the victory of Congress is sure,” he said.

The Karnataka JD(S) President has distanced the party from Tanveer Ahmed’s remark, stating that Ahmed is not a member of the party, after he claimed that the JD(S) had already decided with which party it will form the government. “He (Tanveer Ahmed) is not our spokesperson, and he is not a member of our party. He is nothing, he has left us long back. We have not decided anything (on coalition govt), we will wait for the results,” said Karnataka JD(S) Pres CM Ibrahim.

Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai, speaking a day ahead of the Karnataka Assembly election results, said: “I am confident that tomorrow, the BJP in Karnataka will break two jinx. Firstly, no political party has come back to power twice in succession since 1985, and secondly, the BJP in Karnataka has not crossed the 113 mark on our own till now. We are very confident that the BJP will cross the 113 mark on our own, and there is no question of seeking anybody’s support.”

With the stage set for counting of votes and declaration of results, the national parties in Karnataka are focussing their attention on winnable candidates who contested the May 10 Assembly elections independently.

As per sources, the Congress has already approached S.I. Chikkanagoudar of Kundgol constituency in Dharwad district. There is a direct contest between Chikkanagoudar and BJP candidate M.R. Patil.

Acting on reports of Chikkanagoudar’s possibile victory, the Congress has already invited him to join hands with the party. Chikkanagoudar is a follower of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar through whom the party is approaching him, sources say.

Following exit polls predicting fractured mandate in Karnataka, the JD(S) is all set to play the role of a kingmaker in the formation of the government.

With national parties — Congress and BJP — allegedly preparing to poach MLAs and making strategies to hijack them before the counting, JD(S) is concerned about keeping its flock together.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is personally strategizing and his son, former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy is operating and closely monitoring the situation in the state from Singapore. Kumaraswamy had flown to Singapore after the polling for relaxation.

“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,” said Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala.

The results of the high-voltage Karnataka Assembly elections will be announced on Saturday. Elections to the 224 seats were held on May 10 which witnessed a fierce fight between archrivals BJP and the Congress, besides the JD(S). The parties, along with the JD(S), are anxiously awaiting the results to determine the possibility of a hung assembly.

Counting of votes will commence at 8 am in 36 centers across Karnataka. Poll officials anticipate a clear picture of the election outcome to emerge by mid-day. READ MORE