A day ahead of the crucial results of the Karnataka assembly polls, both the BJP and the Congress are confident of a 'comfortable' majority. Buoyed by exit poll predictions, most of which predicted a hung Assembly and some a majority for the Congress, party president Mallikarjun Kharge met senior leaders DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah at his residence.
While DKS dismissed the hung assembly predictions and said he was sure the Congress will come to power in Karnataka. “Exit polls have their own theory. We don't go by those samples, my sample size is too high and in that, we will have a comfortable majority. I do not know about JD(S), let them take their own call,” said.
Amid several pre-poll predictions that the JD(S) will emerge as the kingmaker once the results of the elections are out, party sources claimed on Friday they have been approached by both the BJP and Congress.
The BJP has repeatedly said it saw no possibility of a hung verdict as Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje said the BJP would get 120 to 125 seats and return to power. She ruled out the possibility of 'Operation Lotus'. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also said he was confident of a comfortable majority, adding that the party's legislature will meet to decide the chief minister face.
Taking a dig at Shivakumar, Bommai said: “Let him be happy with his 141 seats till tomorrow.”
Bommai met BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa along with other party leaders, including ministers Murugesh Nirani, Byrathi Basavaraj, party MP Lehar Singh Siroya and A T Ramaswamy, at the former chief minister's residence.
The state recorded its highest-ever voting (73.19 per cent) in Wednesday's polling to the 224-member Assembly. The counting will begin at 8 am on Saturday in 36 centres across the state.
