Exit polls are entertainment, enjoy weekend, says Siddaramaiah as Karnataka sees a hung assembly

Karnataka assembly elections: After the polling came to end, chief ministerial aspirants thanked people for their participation and expressed hope about public support in their favour.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday asked people to relax and enjoy the weekend and not worry about the exit polls that predicted a hung assembly with some giving a slight advantage to the Congress and others to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A hung House could position the Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S), the third political force in the state, as the potential kingmaker.

On Twitter, the chief minister dubbed the exit polls as entertainment for the next two days.

“Exit opinion polls are entertainment for the next 2 days Relying on poll of polls is like a person who can’t swim crossing a river on foot relying on a statistician who told him the average depth of the river is 4 feet Please note average of 6+4+2 is 4. At 6 feet you drown! ½”

Exit opinion polls are entertainment for the next 2 days

Relying on poll of polls is like a person who can’t swim crossing a river on foot relying on a statistician who told him the average depth of the river is 4 feet

Please note average of 6+4+2 is 4. At 6 feet you drown! 1/2

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 13, 2018

“So, Dear party workers, supporters & well wishers, don’t worry about exit polls. Relax & enjoy your weekend. We are coming back. 2/2,” he said in another tweet.

As the polling ended on Saturday after days of bitter election campaign by both the Congress and the BJP, chief ministerial aspirants thanked people for participating in the election process and expressed hope about public support in their favour.

“Dear People of Karnataka, Thank you for exercising your franchise today.I thank all the officers & staff connected with conducting the Election for their hard work & sincerity. And finally, to all the workers of the Congress party - I am indebted to you for all your efforts,” chief minister Siddaramaiah said in a tweet.

“We have fought this election on the plank of our 5 year performance and our vision for the state. I am confident the people of Karnataka will bless us to continue serving them. #KarnatakaWithCongress” he said in another tweet.

BJP state chief and its chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa said his party is headed towards a landslide victory with the support of the people.

“Thank you Karnataka! Gratitude to the people of Karnataka for voting in large numbers today”.

@BJP4Karnataka isheaded towards a landslide victory with all your blessings and support! #KarnatakaVotes4BJP #KarnatakaElections2018” Yeddyurappa said in a tweet.

Indicating a tight race between BJP and Congress, most exit polls for the Karnataka Assembly electionstoday forecast a hung assembly with JD(S) likely to play the kingmaker, but were divided on which of the two national parties would emerge as the largest in the House.

“I sincerely thank all the voters of Karnataka for coming out in large numbers to exercise their franchise and ensuring that polling process was peaceful,’ JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy said in a tweet.

The exit polls triggered a war of words between the Congress and the BJP, which only backed the polls that showed them as the favourites and claimed they would win when the results are declared on May 15.