Karnataka seems headed for hung assembly, Congress single-largest party: Opinion Poll

NEW DELHI: Karnataka is likely to throw up a hung assembly with BJP and the ruling Congress there engaged in a neck and neck fight while HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) may emerge as the kingmaker in the upcoming Assembly election, an opinion poll has projected. The survey conducted by the India Today and Karvy projects that the Congress could win 90-101 seats in a House of 225, while the BJP led by BS Yeddyurappa is projected to win 78-86 seats. The opinion poll says former prime minister HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) with 34-43 seats will be the kingmaker in Karnataka. The survey shows the Congress will get 37 per cent of votes, the BJP 35 per cent and the JD (S), which has entered into a pre-poll alliance with the BSP, may get 19 per cent vote share. According to the poll, unemployment in the state remains the major concern for the people with 22 per cent of respondents highlighting the issue as their topmost concern. Siddaramaiah was the top choice for the chief ministerial post among the respondents with 33 per cent favouring the Karnataka Congress face. BJP's CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa was not so far behind and was the choice of 26 per cent of the people surveyed. Deve Gowda's son and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy received the support of 21 per cent of the people. Around 45 per cent of the respondents feel that Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka deserves another chance, said the poll. The 224-member Assembly expires on May 28 in the state where the Congress is currently in power, with 122 seats against the BJP's 43. The single-phase Karnataka Assembly elections will be held on May 12 and the results will be declared on May 15. The BJP is making an all-out effort to unseat the Congress from the only big state where the grand old party is in power. The Congress is looking to retain power in this crucial southern state under the leadership of chief minister Siddaramaiah. Besides, the Congress and the BJP, the JD(S) led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is the third player in the fray. The stakes are high for both the parties. Karnataka elections are not just about Karnataka. While the gameplan of the Congress is to win the Assembly polls and use the victory as a springboard for the revival of the party nationally, the BJP wants to extend its victory march and show yet again that it is unstoppable.