Will win with comfortable majority, says CM Bommai on Karnataka exit poll

Soon after voting ended on Wednesday at 6 pm in a single phase in Karnataka, exit poll results from various surveys showed the Congress party edging ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and predicted it may even gain a majority of its own in the 224-member assembly.

Several prominent leaders reacted to the predictions, with chief minister Basavaraj Bommai saying that the BJP will come to power with a "comfortable majority" as he is confident with the party's ground reports.

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Several exit polls said the BJP might end up with a little less than 100 seats, as the party is looking to script history by retaining its government in the southern state, which has not re-elected a party to power since 1985. Meanwhile, the Congress also aims to make a comeback in Karnataka, which it hopes would give the party a head start ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Regional party, the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) - which played the role of king maker in 2018 - is expected to secure an average of 20 to 30 seats in a do or die battle, exit polls predicted.

“All the exit polls predicted that Yogi Adityanath will not come back but he came back in Uttar Pradesh. Last time, they (exit polls) predicted only 80 seats for BJP and 107 for Congress but it came reverse…As per our ground reports, we are confident we will get comfortable majority...We will get an absolute majority, mark my words,” Bommai told news agency ANI on Thursday.

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"Exit polls are, after all, exit polls and even most projections are predicting a close finish. However, from what I have been able to pick up from our ground sources, it is 100 per cent clear that we are going to return with an absolute majority. The real outcome will only be known on May 13. So, let's wait for the result day," Bommai had said earlier.

"Exit polls aren't 100 per cent accurate. There will be a five per cent variation in all poll projections, plus and minus, which could make all the difference in the end," he added.

Parties need 113 seats to form a simple majority government.

Bommai was also seen offering prayers at Saundatti Shri Renuka Yellama Temple in Belagavi district ahead of the counting of votes, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday.