Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023

The issue around Adani Group gained momentum earlier this year in January when US-based short seller Hindenburg alleged stock manipulation and fraud by the conglomerate. The Adani Group has attacked Hindenburg as "an unethical short seller" and stated that the report by the New York-based entity was "nothing but a lie".

In Hubbali, BJP candidate Mahesh Tenginkai, the party state general secretary and the blue-eyed boy of senior leader B.L. Santhosh, has been working hard to defeat the Congress candidate Jagadish Shettar whose exit from the BJP has become national news.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Yediyurappa said the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community in the state is with the BJP. "This time there won't be a fractured verdict in the state. BJP is going to win 135 to 140 seats. In 2008, BJP had won 110 seats, in 2018 it got 104. This time, we will get simple majority. There is no chance of a hung Assembly, as the BJP will get a clear mandate," Yediyurappa said.

The Chief Minister told reporters here that Veerashaiva is a very big community and it is not under any organisation. A lot of respect is given to the Veerashaiva Mahasabha, but it is not correct to use any organisation for election purpose, he said. "If four or five persons say something, does it become the voice of the Lingayats? The Lingayat community is like an ocean. The Lingayat Forum is an organisation that emerged ahead of election, " he stated.

According to the India TV-CNX opinion poll, telecast on the news channel on Sunday, the Congress may win 105 seats in the 224-seat Assembly, while the ruling BJP may win 85 seats, followed by Janata Dal-Secular which may win 32 seats. The opinion poll predicted that 'others' may win two seats.

The BJP has fielded Revenue Minister R. Ashoka against Shivakumar in the May 10 Assembly polls. Seeing the enthusiasm of the people, this year, the lotus will bloom in Kanakapura, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said. Addressing the roadshow in support of Ashoka, he said the May 10 Assembly election will decide the future of Karnataka.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said, "The presence of BJP has weakened in Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming down here and conducting roadshows for two days. This is not a Parliament election. One cannot fool people through roadshows."

"Despite being Sunday, people have blessed me. I will be obliged to Karnataka for my entire life. I will not forget this love and affection. Our exam is on May 10. I will give a genuine guarantee. I have a goal to develop the state," PM Modi stated. Criticising the Congress, the Prime Minister said the party was offering lies as promises only to fool people.

A detailed analysis of the poll data across demographics and other categories in the major regions of the state suggests that the Congress is likely to win between 110 and 122 seats in the May 10 elections. The Karnataka Assembly has 224 members and a tally of 113 is required to form a simple majority government.

While the poll still puts the Congress in the pole position, hectic and energetic campaigning by Modi during the last leg of vote seeking has improved the fortunes of the BJP. In the opinion polls for the Assembly elections conducted during March and April, the BJP appeared quite far behind the Congress, both in terms of vote share and number of seats.