JOIN USKarnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Parties gear up for results, counting to start at 8am on May 13
As Karnataka awaits the results for Assembly elections for which polling was held on May 10, the ruling BJP and the Congress leaders went into huddles to hold strategy sessions on ways to keep the flock together. The three main parties in the fray including JD(S) are also said to have contacted some independents who have chances of winning the polls, to get them on their side, keeping in mind the possibility of a fractured verdict.
Karnataka has 31 districts and a total of 224 constitutencies and the state recorded its highest-ever voting of 73.19 per cent in Wednesday's polling.
Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge met with with AICC general secretary and in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, party's state unit chief D K Shivakumar and former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara among other leaders.
In the BJP camp, incumbent CM Basavaraj Bommai met veteran leader B S Yediyurappa along with other party leaders, including ministers Murugesh Nirani, Byrathi Basavaraj, party MP Lehar Singh Siroya and A T Ramaswamy at the former CM's residence.
Majority of exit polls have given an edge to the Congress over the ruling BJP, while indicating the possibility of a hung Assembly.
JD(S)'s H D Kumaraswamy is in Singapore for a health checkup and is expected to return tomorrow morning. In his absence, party patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda has reportedly contacted party leaders and candidates who may win and asked them to stay loyal to the party.
The counting of the votes is set to begin from 8am on Saturday.