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By India Today News Desk: After months of hectic and high-voltage campaigning by political parties, Karnataka voted on Wednesday to decide the fate of 2,615 candidates across 224 Assembly constituencies. As polling ended, India Today-My Axis India exit poll has predicted a clear majority for the Congress, dislodging the BJP from power in the southern state.
Before the Assembly election, Jagadish Shettar, a prominent Lingayat leader, had quit the BJP and joined the Congress after he was denied a ticket to the contest polls. He subsequently joined the Congress, who promptly handed him a ticket to contest from Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency, a seat he represented when he was in the BJP.
But with the exit poll predicting a loss for the BJP, has Jagadish Shettar’s exit hurt the prospects of the saffron party in Karnataka?
According to India Today-My Axis India exit poll, despite Jagadish Shettar’s defection, the BJP’s Lingayat votes will not be impacted. The saffron party is likely to get 64% votes among the Lingayats, which is the same as last time.
In fact, Jagadish Shettar may be defeated from Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly seat in a close contest with the BJP, as per the survey.
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All eyes would be on this seat which is considered to be a prestige battle between the Congress and the BJP. Counting of votes will be done on May 13. Jagadish Shettar’s BJP opponent is Mahesh Tenginkai.
It is to be seen whether Jagadish Shettar would emerge victorious on a Congress ticket or would the people show him the exit door, in line with the survey.
WHO IS JAGADISH SHETTAR?
Jagadish Shettar, a six-time MLA, served as the Karnataka chief minister for 10 months between 2012 and 2013. He began his political career in the 1980s and held various positions within the BJP, including state president and leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
The 67-year-old Lingayat strongman held various ministerial positions in the Karnataka government, including the portfolio of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.
He was also the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, when BJP first won the state in 2008.
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EXIT POLL PREDICTS CONGRESS MAJORITY
The Congress is set to return to power in Karnataka with a clear majority, bagging 122-140 seats in the state, according to India Today exit poll.
The BJP, which ran a high-voltage campaign in the southern state, is likely to finish second with 62-80 seats, the survey showed.
JD(S) is projected to finish a distant third and garner mere 20-25 seats. Other parties are likely to get somewhere between 0-3 seats.
The Karnataka Assembly has 224 seats. A party or an alliance needs to achieve the magic number of 113 to form the government.
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