Karnataka exit polls say 'advantage Congress' but don't discount BJP, JDS lurks. Key takeaways

Karnataka election exit polls 2023 predicted a neck-and-neck contest between the BJP and Congress, with many giving an edge to the latter.

Karnataka is poised for a hung assembly, with a slight advantage projected for the Congress in the assembly election 2023, according to most exit poll results on Wednesday. These predictions also suggest that HD Kumaraswamy's Janata Dal Secular (JDS) is likely to hold the key to forming the government. In the 224-seat assembly, the majority threshold is set at 113 seats.

Bengaluru: Young women show their inked fingers after casting their votes for the Karnataka Assembly elections, at a polling station in Bengaluru, Wednesday, (PTI)

The exit polls provide insights into what can be expected on results day on May 13. The Bharatiya Janata Party, fueled by a robust campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to reclaim power, while the Congress seeks a strong resurgence before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Back in 2018, six national television channels and one regional channel conducted eight major exit polls. These predictions indicated that the BJP would secure the largest number of seats in the new assembly, with seven of them suggesting a hung assembly.

Follow Live Updates on Karnataka Exit Poll Result 2023

The elections witnessed a fierce battle between the incumbent BJP, Congress, and JD(S). The Election Commission reported a voter turnout of 65.69 per cent recorded until 5 pm, signifying the high stakes involved.

Key takeaways from Karnataka exit polls:

Republic P-Marq:

BJP: 85-100

Congress: 94-108

JDS: 24-32

Others: 2-6

Zee News-Matrize

BJP: 79-94

Congress: 103-118

JDS: 25-33

Others: 2-5

Asianet Suvarna Jan Ki Baat Exit Poll:

BJP: 94-117

Congress: 91-106

JDS: 14-24

Others: 0-2

ABP CVoter Exit Poll

BJP: 88-98

Congress: 99-109

JDS: 21-26

Others: 0

ABP CVoter: Old Mysore Region

BJP - 26% Vote share

Congress - 38%

JDS - 29%

OTH - 7%

ABP CVoter: Central Karnataka

BJP: 12-16

Congress: 18-22

JDS: 0-2

Others: 0-1

TV 9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat

BJP: 88-98

Congress: 99-109

JDS: 21-26

Times Now-ETG

Congress: 113

BJP: 85

JDS: 113

Others: 3

News24-Today's Chanakya

Congress: 120

BJP: 92

JDS: 12

Others: 00

India Today-Axis My India

Congress: 122-140

BJP: 62-80

JDS: 20-25

(Health warning: Exit poll predictions often get it wrong)