Karnataka Exit Poll Result Highlights: 2 surveys give Congress win but BJP close

A voter turnout of nearly 72 per cent was recorded in the Karnataka Assembly elections on Wednesday. The counting of votes for the 224-member Assembly will be taken up on May 13.

Former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa expressed confidence in the BJP winning the elections with an absolute majority and dismissed exit poll results projecting the possibility of a hung assembly. Speaking to ANI, Yediyurappa said, "Even now I am 100 per cent confident that we are going to form the government with absolute majority".

“Exit polls are exit polls. They can’t be 100 per cent correct. There will be variation that can change the whole scenario,” Karnatka chief minister Basavraj Bommai told reporters in his home constituency Shiggaon, from where he is contesting the election. “Our ground report says we will win with absolute majority. Let us wait till May 13 ( the counting day),” he said.

The India TV-CNX exit polls gave the Congress 110-120 seats and the BJP 80-90 seats. They predicted 20-24 seats for the JD (S).

Congress: Lingayat- 20% ; Vokkaliga- 24%; Kuruba- 63% ; Muslim- 88%

BJP: Lingayat- 64%; Vokkaliga- 25%; Kuruba- 22%; Muslim- 2%

JDS: Lingayat- 10%; Vokkaliga- 46%; Kuruba- 10%; Muslim- 8%

Others: Lingayat- 6%; Vokkaliga- 5%; Kuruba- 5%; Muslim- 2%

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said he doesn't believe in exit poll numbers and asserted that the party will get at least 146 seats in Assembly elections. Most of the pollsters have predicted hung assembly with Congress emergeing as the single largest party. However, India Today-Axis My India and News24-Today's Chanakya have projected a clear majority for the Congress party.

"My first reaction is that I don't believe these numbers (exit polls). I stand by my numbers that we will cross 146 seats. People are highly educated and are looking at larger interests because the double engine has failed in Karnataka. The situation will not arise (to form alliance with any party)," Shivakumar said.

According to the latest figures available, the turnout stood at 66.46 per cent. The EC said the final figures will be known by Thursday.

"I am very much confident that we will come back to power with an absolute majority, I am 200% confident. Exit polls are done in a hurry, and there will be lots of errors. There is no question of anybody becoming the kingmaker, for me the people are the kingmaker and they will bring BJP back to power," Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai told ANI.

News24-Today's Chanakya has projected Congress's victory in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections with 120 seats while the BJP is likely to win 92 seats. JDS is likely to get restricted 12 seats.

Projected seat share:

BJP: 92

Congress: 120

JDS: 12

Others: 00

India Today-Axis My India exit polls projects Congress leading the race in Karnataka.

Projected vote share

BJP - 35%

Congress - 43%

JD(S) - 16%

Projected seat share

Congress: 122-140

BJP: 62-80

JD(S): 20-25

India Today-Axis My India has predicted masssive edge to Congress in Old Mysuru, traditionally a stronghold of JDS. JDS vote share is expected to decline, giving a boost to the Congress party.

"The Congress government is going to be in power, we are very close to forming the government. I am sure once the counting is done on 13th May, we will form the government," Congress MLA Priyank Kharge said.

India Today Axis My-India Exit poll numbers so far

Congress - 92

BJP - 64

JDS - 2

News Nation-CGS, Suvarna News-Jan Ki Baat have predicted an upper hand to the BJP in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

ABP News-CVoter, Republic TV-P MARQ, Times Now-ETG, TV9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat and Zee News-Matrize have given an advantage to Congress in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

BJP is likely to cross the majority mark with 114 assembly seats while Congress likely to emerge second with around 86 seats, according to News Nation-CGS exit poll.

“According to my experience of 55 years in politics, the Congress party should get a comfortable majority. Congress will form the government in Karnataka,” Congress leader M Veerappa Moily told ANI.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya exuded confidence despite unfavourable exit poll results for Karnataka Assembly polls.

Congress is likely to win 32 seats in Hyderabad Karnataka, with BJP getting restricted to seven seats, according to India Today-Axis My India exit polls. JD(S) is likely to win just one seat.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has thanked party workers for running a “dignified and solid people-oriented campaign.”

“Thank you to the people of Karnataka for coming out in large numbers to vote for a progressive future,” he tweeted.

ABP CVoter exit poll results are in line with most of the post-poll surveys, predicting a hung assembly in Karnataka. 

Here's what ABP CVoter exit poll results show:

BJP: 88-98

Cong: 99-109

JDS: 21-26

Other: 0

Congress is likely to win around 17 of 28 seats in Bengaluru while BJP is expected to get 10 seats, according to India Today-Axis My India.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram says the exit polls will indicate whether the bread and butter issues have prevailed over the polarising campaign of the BJP.

"For the sake of the country and Karnataka, I hope that the people have voted for opportunities for all and disparagement of none. It is only a secular, liberal and progressive Karnataka that can hold its head high among the states of India."

Congress is expected to emerge as the single largest party in Karnataka Assembly elections, TV 9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat predicts.

BJP: 88-98

Cong: 99-109

JDS: 21-26