Cong, BJP go into huddle on the eve of counting day

Bengaluru, May 12 (Agency) After most of the exit polls predicting hung verdict in Karnataka assembly election, the Congress and the BJP have gone into a huddle to sketch Plan-B of forming a government on the eve of counting of votes. In this scenario, the JDS role of kingmaker comes to the fore in forming the government by aligning with one of the national parties. Tanveer Ahmed of the JDS has told a section of media that both the BJP and Congress parties have made contact with his party for forming a coalition government. However, both the national parties have refused to have contacted any of the JDS leaders as they are expecting their respective parties to win with an absolute majority.

Amidst this, the Congress party reportedly held a virtual meeting directing all their winning candidates to assemble in Bengaluru amidst fears of BJP’s Operation Kamala. Even JDS supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda is personally strategising, and telephoning possible winning candidates and requesting them to assemble in Bengaluru, a video of which has gone viral on social media. His son HD Kumaraswamy is also closely monitoring the situation in the state from Singapore. The JDS leader is in Singapore for a routine health checkup. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met BS Yeddyurappa a day before the assembly election results. The polling for the Karnataka assembly election concluded on Wednesday evening, with the state registering a voter turnout of 73.19 per cent, which poll officials on Thursday termed a record while sharing the final figures.