Karnataka election results 2023: Counting of votes begins
What's the story
The counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly began on Saturday at 8:00 am. The counting for 224 Assembly seats is being carried out at 36 centers. Section 144 has been imposed in the Bengaluru district from 6:00 am on Saturday to 12:00 am on Sunday and liquor sale has been banned in the Bengaluru police commissionerate region to avoid any untoward incident.
Context
Why does this story matter?
While some exit polls predicted a hung assembly, others projected the Congress edging ahead of the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) playing the kingmaker's role. The anti-incumbency wave is likely to hurt the BJP, which came to power in 2019 by toppling the elected Congress-JD(S) coalition government. In 2018, the BJP won 104 seats, Congress 78, and the JD(S) 37 seats.
Details
Karnataka recorded its highest-ever voter turnout this election
Axis My India's exit poll predicted that Congress could win 122-140 seats with 43% votes while the BJP might secure 62-80 seats with 35% votes. The JD(S) could bag 20-25 seats, losing its stronghold as compared to the previous election. The voting was conducted on Wednesday, in which Karnataka recorded its highest-ever voter turnout at 73.19% since its formation in 1957.
BJP
BJP has Plan B for contingency: R Ashoka
Several BJP leaders, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka Cabinet Minister R Ashoka, asserted that their party will cross the "magic number" and form the government on its own. However, Ashoka added that in case the BJP doesn't secure a clear majority, it has a "Plan B," while saying that they are "a political party and not a group of sanyasis (hermits)."
Congress
Congress will win 150 seats: DK Shivakumar
Separately, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said he was confident about the party winning around 150 seats across the state. He dismissed speculations about talks between the Congress and the JD(S), saying that his party would form the government on its own. He said the Gandhi siblings will decide on the chief minister between him and Siddaramaiah.
Information
JD(S) will be 'king': HD Kumaraswamy
JD(S) second-in-command and former Karnataka CM, HD Kumaraswamy has maintained that their party will wait for the final results to decide on its future course of action. He earlier said that JD(S) will emerge as the "king" in the election.