Surjewala thanked the media for projecting that Congress is likely to win the Karnataka elections. Some exit polls released on May 10 predicted that Congress could form government in the state. "I think the biggest winners of this elections are 6.5 crore Kannadigas who participated in the festival of democracy," he said. He also thanked Congress workers for "never shying away from core issues" pertaining to the people of the state.