Karnataka election results 2023: With hours to go for the final results of the Karnataka Assembly polls to be declared, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday said that he has not been contacted as yet for the formation of the government in case of a cliffhanger, adding that he is hoping for a good show. Counting for the Assembly polls is all set to begin at 8 am that will decide the fate of 2,615 candidates across parties.
Speaking to the media ahead of the counting, Kumaraswamy cited the exit polls which predicted nearly 30-32 seats to JD(S) and a clear edge to the Congress party with some even predicting a majority for the grand old party and said that according to the predictions, there is no need for him to explore options.
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"In the next 2-3 hours, it will become clear. Exit polls show that the two national parties will score in a big way. The polls have given 30-32 seats to JD(S). I am a small party, there is no demand for me...I am hoping for a good development," he said. "No one has contacted me till now. Let us see the final results first. According to the exit polls, there is no need for options. Let us see," the JD(S) leader added.
The counting of votes for the aggressively contested Karnataka assembly elections 2023 is underway, Voting for 224-seat Karnataka assembly was held on May 10.
HD Kumaraswamy is contesting the poll from Channapatna in Ramanagara. He is pitted against BJP's C P Yogeshwara. Both belong to the dominant Vokkaliga community in the region. The Congress had fielded Gangadhar S as its candidate.
Both Kumaraswamy and Yogeshwara had links to the film industry. While Kumaraswamy had been a film producer, distributor and exhibitor, Yogeshwara had acted in a few films.
Kumaraswamy had won the seat continuously since 2004 and went on to become Chief Minister too. As he had contested from Channapatna too in 2018, he gave up Ramanagara seat and made his wife Anitha contest from there in subsequent bypolls and ensured her victory. She is the sitting MLA from Ramanagara.