'No faith in exit polls, Cong will cross double digits in Karnataka': DCM DK Shivakumar

DK Shivakumar said he has no faith in exit polls and predicted that the Congress will cross double digits in the state in the Lok Sabha elections.

Published on: Jun 1, 2024, 22:12:13 IST

PTIPosted by Yamini C S

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said he has no faith in exit polls and predicted that the Congress will cross double digits in the state in the Lok Sabha elections, but refrained from giving any figures.

The party leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President had been claiming that the party will win 15-20 out of 28 seats in the state.

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"I have said that I have no faith in the exit polls. Today also, I'm saying the same thing. Someone called me just now saying that they (channels) are showing that we will get only two or three or four seats in Karnataka. We will get more than double digit, wait and see," Shivakumar told reporters here.

He said, "I have no faith in exit polls and their assessment, as they don't go interior. They would have done it based on some sample size, I don't believe in it. The INDIA bloc is ready to take over the mantles."

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Early exit polls predicted a comfortable majority for the BJP-led NDA, with the ruling alliance projected to open its account in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and sweep Karnataka.

The then ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance had come a cropper, winning just one seat each in 2019 Lok Sabha poll, while the BJP had swept, by winning 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka, and had ensured the win of a party supported independent candidate in Mandya.

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The JD(S) this time is in alliance with BJP, which has given the regional party three seats -- Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.

The counting of votes will take place on June 4.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More