Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar, on Wednesday, May 10, the day of the polls, urged voters to vote for “progress, corruption free future” and “for a strong, secure Karnataka”. The Congress leader, who cast his vote at the Kanakapura polling station said that he is confident of his party getting the single largest majority and forming a government on its own without depending on an alliance with the JD(S).
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, DKS also took a dig at PM Narendra Modi. “During the previous elections, the PM appealed to voters that before going to vote, they should take a look at the gas cylinder. Now, the price has increased from Rs 450 to Rs 1,200. So I also appeal to the voters to follow what the PM has said, go take a look at the gas cylinder,” he said.
Election is underway in 58,545 polling stations in the state. The total number of voters are 5.30 crore, among which 2.66 crore are male and 2.63 are female voters. There are 4,927 transgender persons who are eligible to vote in this election.
Earlier in the day, former Karnataka CM and Congress leader Siddaramaiah said that he is confident of the Congress winning more than 130 seats in the ongoing Assembly elections. Speaking to the media in Varuna on Wednesday, he said, “I have been constantly saying, after observing the people of Karnataka, the Congress party will get 130 plus seats. It may go up to 150 seats also.”
Karnataka Assembly has 224 seats, and a party or coalition needs to cross the halfway mark of 112 to form the government. In 2018, BJP won 104 seats, Congress 78 seats and JD(S) 37 seats. After bye-elections in 2019, the BJP walked away with Congress and JD(S) legislators and their numbers in the Assembly increased to 120, while the Congress was reduced to 69 and JD(S) 32.
This time, the Congress campaign has been focussed on the failings of the incumbent BJP The BJP has sought to counter this by invoking the personality of the Prime Minister and the power of ‘double engine’ government. The JD (S) meanwhile, has been appealing for a rejection of both national parties.