Counting of votes polled in the Karnataka Assembly elections will begin tomorrow at 8.00 am amid tight security arrangements. The three main contenders for power in the state are the BJP, Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular).
The electoral fortunes of top leaders – Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (BJP) Congress veterans Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, among many others, will be known tomorrow.
There are nearly 35 counting centres across the state where arrangements have been made for counting the votes.
Karnataka had set a new record of 73.19 per cent voter turnout during the 10 May Assembly election. The turnout this time surpassed the previous voting percentage of 72.44 set in the 2018 Assembly election.
Most exit polls have predicted a tight contest between the Congress and BJP. While both major parties are optimistic about their performance in the battle at the hustings, the JD(S) appears to be expecting a hung verdict, which would enable it to play a critical role in government formation.
In the 2018 Assembly polls, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party, winning 104 seats, followed by Congress with 80 seats and the JD(S) with 37. There was also one independent member, while the BSP and the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) also got one seat each.