Karnataka Election: Congress crosses halfway mark in early trends, leads in 115 seats; BJP ahead in 73 seats

Many exit polls have predicted a fractured mandate while predicting the Congress to emerge as the single largest party

Opposition Congress in Karnataka forged ahead of its rival, the ruling BJP, according to the initial trends of counting of votes polled for the May 10 Assembly elections. The Mallikarjun Kharge-led party crossed the halfway mark in the early trends and was leading in 115 seats. The BJP was head in 73 seats. The JD(S), led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, gained an early lead in 29 segments.

The Congress has been maintaining a wide lead against the ruling the BJP since the counting started at 8:00 am.

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At 9:20 am, the Congress which is eyeing to wrest the power from the BJP reached the halfway mark and was ahead in 118 seats, while the saffron party which is looking to break the 34-year-old election jinx in the state was leading in 80 seats. Meanwhile, the JD(S), which is likely to be the kigmaker if the two national parties fail to secure a clear majority, was leading in 24 seats.

BJP and Congress camps went into a huddle on Friday, a day before the Assembly poll results, with anxious leaders of both parties brainstorming on their next moves if there is no decisive verdict, a prospect dreaded by both the national parties.

JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy, who could be catapulted into a kingmaker, a role he is quite familiar with, has already set the ball rolling saying he is open to a coalition if his demands are met.

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda is said to be in touch with the party’s winnable candidates to make sure they do not defect.

Sources close to Gowda confirmed to DH that he has personally reached out to all the winnable candidates and sitting MLAs requesting them not to desert JD(S) legislature party leader H D Kumaraswamy. Gowda has assured winnable candidates that they would be given preference if JD(S) forms the government.