The Congress party in Karnataka is set to form the next government, as initial trends show it leading on 117 seats, followed by the BJP on 76 seats, JD(S) on 25, and Others on 6. Senior Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Kamal Nath, have expressed confidence in the party’s victory. Congress workers have broken into dance at the party office in Delhi to celebrate the trend.
The Congress Legislature Party meeting is scheduled to happen on Sunday, and the party has booked a resort in Hyderabad as a backup plan in case there is no clear majority. Under Plan A, if Congress gets a clear majority, a new government will be formed as soon as possible. Under Plan B, if there is no clear majority, MLAs will be taken to Hyderabad.
The election witnessed a record turnout of 73.19%, with the electoral fortunes of top leaders, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP, Congress heavyweights Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, and JD(S)’ HD Kumaraswamy, among many others, being determined.
Most exit polls have predicted a tight contest between the Congress and BJP, with a possibility of a hung Assembly in the state. While the BJP is banking on the Modi juggernaut to break a 38-year-old poll jinx, the Congress hopes for a morale booster victory to give it momentum to position itself as the main opposition player in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
It remains to be seen whether former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) will emerge as a “kingmaker” or a “king” by holding the key to government formation in the event of a hung verdict, as it has done in the past.
The Congress party’s victory in Karnataka would give it a boost ahead of the upcoming elections, while the BJP’s defeat would be a significant setback. The final results of the election are eagerly awaited, and the new government is expected to be formed soon.
