Stung by the exit polls that have projected an edge to the Opposition Congress, BJP State leaders have maintained that the exit polls will be proved wrong when votes polled in the Karnataka Assembly elections are counted on Saturday.
Leading the party’s defence, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who has contested from Shiggaon, told media persons in Shiggaon on Thursday that even in the 2018 Assembly elections, the surveys had indicated that the Congress would get 107 seats. But the final results were completely different then, he pointed out, while expressing confidence that a similar thing would happen now too.
He said the BJP was particularly helped by the rigorous campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed confidence that the party would get a majority. He, however, declined to respond to queries on the possibility of Karnataka witnessing a hung Assembly.
The Chief Minister visited Savadatti Yellamma temple along with family members and offered puja.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP State Election Management Committee convener Shobha Karandlaje told a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday that the exit polls would be proved wrong and that the BJP was sure to form its government in Karnataka.
“My confidence comes from the ground-level situation that was marked by the enthusiastic support of people to the BJP and also the ground-level reports by our party workers,” she said.
“According to reports by our party workers, we are leading in 120 to 125 Assembly seats of the total 224. As per their report, we are bound to form our government,” she maintained.
Pointing out that BJP veteran leader B.S. Yediyurappa had expressed confidence about the party winning over 120 seats, she said Mr. Yediyurappa’s predictions would not go wrong.
She also expressed confidence that the people of the State would provide a decisive mandate to the BJP to ensure the State’s development.
She thanked the voters of the districts which saw more than 80% polling. Expressing concern over the polling percentage remaining poor in Bengaluru, she said the party would also join efforts by various authorities to enthuse people to vote.
