Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed confidence of the BJP retaining power even as multiple by-polls gave the edge to the Congress in the Karnataka elections, results of which will be declared today.

Speaking to news agency ANI, CM Bommai said he was confident that the BJP will cross the “magic number” and retain power in the 224-seat Legislative Assembly without the need of a coalition partner.

Citing “ground report” from poll booths and constituencies the incumbent BJP Chief Minister exuded confidence and said that the saffron party will score a clear majority in the Karnataka election.

CM Bommai also claimed that the Opposition Congress does not have any confidence in their own MLAs and hence the reason they were touch with other parties in a bid to stitch up an alliance, adding that the grand old party will not get a majority.

The Chief Minister also ruled out any alliance as he expressed confidence in the BJP retaining power in the state on its own without the need of any coalition partners.

Counting of votes began amid tight security today for the Karnataka Assembly polls which were held on May 10 with a robust voter turnout of 73.19 percent.

Several exit polls have give the Congress the edge over arch rivals BJP with HD Kumaraswamy’s JDS tipped to become kingmaker in the scenario of a hung assembly.

As per reports, the Congress had a meaty lead over the its opponents with BJP running close and the JDS and a distant third, when this report was filed.

Basavaraj Bommai is looking to score his fourth consecutive win from Shiggaon constituency in Haveri district against JDS leader Sashidhar Yaligar and Congress’s Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan.

The sitting chief minister has won three consecutive times from Shiggaon, scoring victories in 2008, 2013 and 2018 Assembly polls.

A day ahead of the Karnataka election results, state Congress president DK Shivakumar said he is confident of a clear mandate and that his party is going to form the government on its own.

On Wednesday, the exit polls for the 224-member Assembly predicted the Congress ahead of the BJP with some polls giving the Congress the outright majority while others pointed to a hung assembly with the Congress being the single largest party. Only two exit polls showed the BJP ahead.

Shivakumar told a private TV channel that he is sticking to the Congress prediction of winning almost 150 seats and forming the government with a comfortable majority.

The potential chief minister, Shivakumar, added that he is not going to change either his expectations or the predicted numbers and that his party will come to power.

He added that a large number of leaders including, from the state and the national level, had put their efforts in campaigning for Congress victory and even former CM Siddaramaiah and other leaders covered the entire state ensuring the party won with an absolute majority.

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The state Congress chief denied speculation that his party was holding closed-door meet-ups with HD Kumaraswamy’s Janata Dal (Secular) who can be the kingmaker if the results throw up a hung assembly.

A senior JD(S) leader had said the decision on an alliance has been taken and will be made public at the right time and that both the BJP and the Congress have reached out to them.

On a question of whether he will be CM if Congress is voted to power, Shivakumar replied it would be decided by former party presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Both the Congress and the BJP have not announced their CM candidates ahead of the election. For the Congress, it looks like it is difficult to choose between Siddaramaiah’s experience and Shivakumar’s energy levels.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP hopes to be re-elected and claimed it would get a clear mandate. The BJP has sided with Basavaraj Bommai as CM but failure has only one father and success has many.

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With just a day ahead counting of the votes of the Karnataka state assembly elections Janata Dal Secular (JD(S)) party has hinted on the alliance decision, saying it has already been taken and will be announced when the right time comes.

On Thursday, senior JD(S) leader Tanveer Ahmed told to a media channel on the question of alliance that the decision has been taken already and it will be announced to the public when the right time comes.

This comes at a time when on Wednesday exit polls predicted a hung assembly in Karnataka, which signaled that post results either BJP or Congress will have to partner with JD(S) to form the government with majority.

Tanveer Ahmed added that both the BJP and Congress have tried contacting their party for an alliance government and said, the JD(S) is now at such a position that parties would definitely have to reach out to them to form the government, as most of the exit polls predicted JD(S) winning about 20-25 seats.

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The JD(S) leader added the people of Karnataka want them as a regional party to keep check on both BJP and Congress for the state’s development and also said there is no such reason that prevents them from working for the development.

On the question of their favorable choice of party for partnership,  Ahmed replied, they will choose the party that is going to work for the betterment of Karnataka and its people.

Ahmed concluded saying that without JD(S) on board, no party can form a majority government and said that as they did not had the resources and muscle power as a national party, they stood weak but were sure that they would be definitely in a position to be a part of the government.

The BJP in the meanwhile, has denied of any contact to the regional party, saying the question of coalition does not arise at all and exuded confidence of returning back to power with a clear mandate.

Reports claim, HD Kumaraswamy who was seen highly active campaigning for his party’s victory across the state is now in Singapore for a medical visit and will be back tomorrow.

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