Poll of exit polls: Karnataka Cliffhanger

​Bengaluru:  Karnataka is heading towards a hung assembly with both the Congress and the BJP failing to get a clear majority, if one goes by the results of the exit polls announced on Saturday evening, just after the polling ended in the southern state.

Most of the exit polls predicted a cliffhanger contest between the BJP and the Congress. They also predicted JDS to be the kingmaker. The high-stakes Karnataka assembly elections saw a 70 per cent voter turnout on Saturday. Counting of votes will take place on May 15.

A ‘poll of exit polls’ put out by NDTV predicts the Congress will win 88 seats, BJP 98 and JDS 33. Others are seen winning 3 seats. The Today’s Chanakya exit poll results showed the BJP would win 120 seats (with an error margin of 11 seats), the Congress 73 (with the same error margin) and the JD(S) 26 seats (with an error margin of 7 seats). The exit polll showed a significant gain in the BJP’s vote share from 19% in 2013 to 39% (with an error margin of 3%) in th e2018 elections. Today’s Chanakya’s exit poll showed the Congress vote share remaining nearly the same at 36% (with an error margin of 3%).

The Times Now-VMR exit poll showed the Congress winning 90 to 103 seats, BJP 80 to 93 seats in the 224-member assembly and Janata Dal Secular 31 to 39 seats. The JD(S) is expected to play a key role in government formation in case of an unclear verdict. Elections to two seats have been postponed.    

The India-Today Axis exit poll seemed to give the Congress the upper hand, with 106 to 118 seats. The BJP trailed with 79 to 92 seats. The JD(S) is seen winning 22 to 30 seats in the Karnataka assembly elections. The NewsX-CNS poll, on the other hand gave the BJP the upper hand with 102 to 110 seats. The Congress is seen winning 72 to 78 seats and the JD(S) 35 to 39 seats.

The Republic TV Jan Ki Baat exit poll too gave the BJP the edge with 95 to 114 seats with the Congress getting 73 to 82. The JD(S) is expected to get 32 to 43 seats with others picking up the rest. The ABP C-voter Karnataka exit poIl predicts the Congress will get 87 to 99 seats, the BJP 97 to 109 and JD(S) 21 to 30 seats. 

Others are seen getting up to 08 seats. India TV’s exit poll on the Karnataka election results showed the Congress winning 97 seats, the BJP 87, JD (S) 35 and others three. The Karnataka elections, seen as a precursor to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, carry high stakes for the main protagonists, the Congress and the BJP.