Anxious Cong leaders huddle ahead of Assembly polls results

Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly election results, top Congress leaders huddled on Friday to discuss various scenarios, including ways in which the party can keep its flock together if there’s a photo finish.

Votes polled on May 10 will be counted on Saturday. The halfway mark in the Karnataka Assembly is 113.

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Many exit polls have projected a fractured mandate while showing Congress as the single-largest party.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence was the scene of all action where AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, party’s Karnataka chief DK Shivakumar and former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara held discussions.

Suffering from a swollen hand, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah is being checked by doctors at home. He is holding talks with party leaders over the phone.

The Congress is said to be jittery while expressing confidence that it will win the election for which polling was held on May 10. “Congress is going to win with a thumping majority,” Surjewala said.

According to sources, the party discussed the likely results district-wise and has made a list of prospective winners.

In each district, the party is said to have appointed two leaders to ferry victorious candidates to Bengaluru where they will be secured to prevent any poaching attempt by the BJP.

“We will be careful this time,” Parameshwara, a chief ministerial aspirant, said on the threat of MLAs being poached. He said the Congress should win over 130 seats going by reports received from districts and constituencies.

It is also said that the Congress is considering approaching victorious Independent candidates and some JD(S) MLAs to shore up its tally if required.