Exit polls unnerve Congress, BJP leaders; JD(S) expects hung verdict.

As per the latest exit polls for the Assembly polls in Karnataka, a close battle is expected between the Congress and the BJP. The leaders of both parties appear to be feeling anxious about the final outcome. Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (Secular) seems to be preparing for a hung verdict, which could potentially offer them a chance to participate in the government formation process. The pollsters’ predictions mostly favor the Congress, with a possibility of a hung Assembly in the state.
Giving an update on polling, the Election Commission said on Thursday evening that the final voter turnout was 73.19 per cent. “Karnataka has created a record for itself in voter turnout”. The ruling BJP, which sought to return to power in the Assembly elections held on Wednesday, said it saw no possibility of a hung verdict, and asserted that it would get an absolute majority in the 224-member Lower House.
Political leaders were finally able to relax on Thursday after weeks of high-voltage campaigning and polling on Wednesday.

Though they exude confidence about their party winning comfortably in the polls to the 224-member Assembly, the exit polls most of which did not predict a clear winner have certainly made them anxious to an extent, sources in both national parties said.
No one wants a 2018-like scenario to unfold this time too, they said.
The JD(S) will be the key factor in case of a hung verdict, and may emerge as ‘king’ or ‘kingmaker’, as in 2018.
Party leader H D Kumaraswamy, the man who holds the key to the formation of a coalition government, in case of a fractured mandate, has left for Singapore for a health checkup, and would be back on counting day, sources said.
The JD(S) leader was hospitalised during campaigning for exhaustion and weakness.
“There is certainly a scenario of a hung verdict, and the strong possibility of a coalition government with JD(S) playing an active role. Let the results come out formally; things will get revealed one after the other as to who will play what role,” a senior JD(S) leader said on grounds of anonymity.
In the previous Assembly elections in 2018, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 104 seats, followed by Congress with 80 seats and JD(S) 37. There was also one independent member, while the BSP and Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) got one legislator each elected.
With no party getting a clear majority then, and as Congress and JD(S) were trying to forge an alliance, B S Yediyurappa of the BJP, which was the single largest party, staked a claim and formed the government. However, the government was dissolved within three days ahead of a trust vote, as Yediyurappa was unable to muster the required numbers.
Subsequently, the Congress-JD(S) alliance formed the government with Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister, but the wobbly dispensation collapsed in 14 months, as 17 legislators resigned and came out of the ruling coalition. They defected to the BJP and facilitated the party’s return to power. On Thursday, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala met Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah at the latter’s residence here and held discussions.