Karnataka Election Results 2023 Highlights: After drama in Jayanagar, Congress bags 135 seats, BJP 66

Janata Dal Secular leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy's statement ahead of counting.

More Exit Polls numbers:

Republic TV-P Marq poll predicted 85-100 seats for BJP, the Congress 94-108 seats, and the JD(S) 24-32 seats.

Times Now-ETG survey gave the Congress 113 seats, the BJP 85 seats, and the JD(S) 23 seats, while Times Now-ETG survey gave the Congress 113 seats, the BJP 85 seats, and the JD(S) 23 seats.

Here's what exit polls predicted:

The India Today-Axis My India poll predicted that the Congress would get 122-140 seats, the BJP 62-80 seats, and the JD(S) 20-25 seats.

Today’s Chanakya for News 24 channel gave the Congress 120 seats (plus or minus 11), the BJP 92 seats (plus or minus 11), and the JD(S) 12.

“My expectations are not necessary now because exit polls have already shown that two national parties will score in a big way,” says JD(S) chief HD Kumaraswamy.

He adds, “There is no plan for me. There is no responsibility on me either, according to the exit polls.”

Congress spokesperson Nizam Foujdar says that Congress will form a majority in the state. The party has fielded candidates across 223 Assembly seats.

Security outside Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai's residence in Hubballi, ahead of Assembly election results today. The counting of votes across 224 Assembly seats will begin at 8 AM. CM Basavaraj Bommai contested from the Shiggaon Assembly seat.

Hours before the counting began in Karnataka, DK Shivakumar, who has earlier said that he is a claimant to the Chief Minister's post, said he would wait for the results to come out first.

Congress will form the government once again with a majority, said Congress leader Saleem Ahmed. ” We are confident about this. The public of Karnataka is looking for a change, they were fed up with this present government.”

Congress leader Saleem Ahmed says that Congress will form the government with a majority. “We are confident about this. The public of Karnataka is looking for a change, they were fed up with this present government,” he says.

The BJP, which came to power a year and a half after the 2018 elections delivered a hung verdict, has been challenged by Congress on the issue of corruption in its campaign. The Congress, which largely kept the campaign local, will get a huge leg-up with a victory.

“It's a big day today. We are hopeful that Congress will emerge victorious. We should get a comfortable majority with more than 120 seats. It's not just the exit polls that predict Congress victory, the same is also visible on the ground level, people want change,” says Congress leader and former minister K Rahman Khan

Security arrangements have been tightened in Karnataka before counting begins for the 224 seats in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly elections held on May 10. “There are adequate police personnel deployed as per plan at each strong room, counting hall and counting centre premises,” DC Bengaluru Urban, Dayananda KA said.

While most exit polls have given Congress the lead, the BJP is hopeful it will manage to retain power in a state which hasn't re-elected an incumbent in close to three decades. Exit polls have gone wrong before, and the BJP hopes this one does too.

The elections saw a high-pitched battle between the ruling BJP, Congress and the Janata Dal Secular. While the primary battle is between the BJP and Congress, the JDS is hoping to regain relevance and play a part in the formation of the government.

The election results are a big test for the Congress, BJP and the JDS with much riding on them. The counting of votes is set to begin shortly.

The state is all set to witness a three-cornered contest between ruling BJP, Congress and Janata Dal-Secular.

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