Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Decisive or hung? Parties on tenterhooks as D-Day arrives

BJP and Congress camps went into a huddle on Friday, a day before the Assembly poll results, with anxious leaders of both parties brainstorming on their next moves if there is no decisive verdict, a prospect dreaded by both the national parties.

Many exit polls have predicted a fractured mandate while predicting the Congress to emerge as the single largest party.

JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy, who could be catapulted into a kingmaker, a role he is quite familiar with, has already set the ball rolling saying he is open to a coalition if his demands are met.

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On Friday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's home was a hive of activity, as the veteran leader held marathon meetings with AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, state chief DK Shivakumar and former deputy chief minister G Parameshwara.

According to sources, senior Congress leaders decided to summon all the winning candidates to Bengaluru soon after the results on Saturday. "We will be careful this time," Parameshwara said, referring to the threat of MLAs being poached.

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The BJP, too, is calculating its next steps. A meeting was held in party veteran BS Yediyurappa's house, with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya and others discussing the need to start reaching out to victorious independent candidates.

The BJP has reportedly decided to sequester its MLAs soon after the election results are officially announced on Saturday.

The outgoing 15th Assembly saw governments of H D Kumaraswamy, B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai.