Bengaluru, May 11 (PTI) With most opinion polls predicting a close contest between the Congress and the BJP in the assembly elections in Karnataka, leaders of both parties are confused about the outcome, while the Janata Dal (Secular) expects a hung verdict, which Helping to play a role in the government system.

Most pollsters, however, have given the Congress an edge over the ruling BJP, indicating the possibility of a hung assembly in the state.

Counting of votes will be held on May 13.

After weeks of high-voltage campaigning and Wednesday’s polling, political leaders were finally able to relax on Thursday.

Sources in both the national parties said that while they expressed confidence that their party would comfortably win the 224-member assembly polls, the exit polls certainly worried them to some extent.

They said that no one wants a scenario like 2018 to unfold this time too.

JD(S) will be a key factor in a hung verdict case and may emerge as ‘king’ or ‘kingmaker’ like in 2018.

Party leader H.T. Sources said Kumaraswamy, who was instrumental in forming the coalition government, has left for Singapore for a health check-up in case the mandate breaks down and will be back on the day of counting.

The JD(S) leader was hospitalized during the campaign for exhaustion and weakness.

“There is definitely a hung verdict situation and there is a strong possibility of a coalition government with JD(S) playing an active role. Let the results come out systematically; who will play what role will emerge one after the other,” said a senior JD(S) leader on condition of anonymity. said.

In the previous 2018 assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 104 seats, followed by the Congress with 80 seats and the JD(S) with 37 seats. There was also one independent member, while the BSP and the Karnataka Pragnayavanta Janata Party (KPJP) elected one legislator each.

When no party could get a majority, Congress and JD(S) tried to form an alliance, so BS Yeddyurappa of the BJP, which was the single largest party, claimed the right to form the government.

However, Yeddyurappa was unable to muster the required numbers and the government was dissolved within three days of the trust vote.

Subsequently, the Congress-JD(S) alliance formed the government with Kumaraswamy as chief minister, but in 14 months, 17 legislators resigned and left the ruling coalition. They defected to the BJP and paved the way for the party’s return to power.

On Thursday, Karnataka Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala met Congress Legislative Party President Siddaramaiah at his residence.

Disregarding the opinion polls, Chief Minister Basavaraj Dolly on Thursday expressed confidence that the BJP would win.

“Last time, during the Karnataka elections, polls had predicted 107 for Congress and 80 for BJP, but actually it was the other way round – 104 for BJP and 80 for Congress. There are many such examples about polls and it will repeat itself. ” he said.

Modi’s campaign is a big plus for the BJP and has made a huge impact among the youth and women voters, said Puppet when asked if the party would achieve its target of winning 150 seats. I am not saying 150, I am saying BJP will get full majority and we will get it. He did not want to respond to speculations that there might be a hanging verdict.

State Congress president DK Shivakumar also expressed hope that the Congress would win 141 seats and form the government with an absolute majority. He said that there is no possibility of a hung assembly.

Shivakumar thanked the voters of Kanakapura assembly constituency and said that their strength was not only for him but also for the people of the state. “People in every house were candidates here and they contested the elections,” he said. PTI