Bengaluru: It’s D-day in Karnataka politics.
After nearly three hours of counting of votes, Congress was clearly ahead of the BJP but still not absolutely certain of earning a clear majority.
With 113 being the magic number to achieve in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, Congress led in 117 seats as per latest trends, BJP in about 73 and JDS in 26.
Congress is highly optimistic of dethroning the BJP-led state government, as according to an India Today analysis, the grand old party has received more than 40% of votes counted so far in 145 seats.
BJP leaders, on the other hand, have pointed out that in around 30 seats, the difference between the leader and second-placed candidate right now is less than 1,000 votes. Hence, it’s too early to predict the winner in those seats.
The saffron party is not losing hope also because just about 30% of votes have been counted in most constituencies till now. Of the 20-22 rounds of counting in majority of the seats, only 6-8 rounds have been completed.
A clear picture about the final numbers is not likely to emerge before 3 pm. And JDS could still come out as a kingmaker.
The Congress is looking to wrest power from the BJP, while the saffron party is hoping to break the 34-year-old anti-incumbency jinx in the state.
