Amid exit-poll projections showing the grand old party having an edge over the BJP in Karnataka assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi thanked party workers and leaders for a “well-run, dignified and solid people-oriented campaign.”
Referring to workers as “Babbar Sher”, Rahul Gandhi also thanked the people of Karnataka for voting in large numbers.
“I want to thank the Babbar Sher workers and leaders of Congress for a well-run, dignified and solid people-oriented campaign. Thank you to the people of Karnataka for coming out in large numbers to vote for a progressive future,” Tweeted Rahul Gandhi.
Congress is expected to have a clear edge in Karnataka in the assembly elections held on Wednesday with four exit polls giving it a full majority and some predicting a hung assembly with an advantage to the party.
The voting was done for 224 assembly constituencies of Karnataka. 2,615 candidates are in the fray.
According to the Election Commission of India, the majority mark to form the government is 113 seats.
In what turned out to be a high-decibel campaign phase, the incumbent BJP, Congress and the JDS went at each other and pulled out all stops to woo voters.
After the controversy around its manifesto, which included a promise to ban the Bajrang Dal, Congress tried to redirect its campaign focus back to the bread-and-butter issues and the alleged corruption of the incumbent BJP government.
However, the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, went big on the pledge to ban the Bajrang Dal and alleged faux pas by the party’s designated translator at a campaign rally addressed by Sonia Gandhi.
In this year’s Karnataka polls, the Congress (supported by the CPI), and JDS are contesting on their own, aiming to form their government with a full majority.
In the previous state polls, the Congress and JDS had contested as partners.
The counting of votes will take place on May 13.
This report is filed by ANI news service.
