BENGALURU: Riding high on the exit poll predictions of the December 5 bypolls, the BJP, which formed the government in July this year, hopes it can finally get the majority that has eluded it since the 2018 Assembly elections. It had emerged as the single largest party, but had to give way to the Congress-JDS coalition with B S Yediyurappa resigning as Chief Minister minutes before a floor test.
Counting of votes will start from 8 am on Monday and trends will be known by 10 am. The results in most constituencies will be out by noon.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Yediyurappa exuded confidence of winning 13 of the 15 seats, while his party state president Nalin Kumar Kateel went a step ahead and expressed confidence of sweeping all 15 seats. That confidence was missing in the Congress camp, though former CM Siddaramaiah, who almost single-handedly led the party’s campaign, dismissed the exit polls which gave the party just four seats and 10 to the BJP.
To buttress his claim, he said, “There was lot of anger against the disqualified legislators and we hope to win eight to ten seats. Let’s see what happens tomorrow,” Siddaramaiah, who was in his Assembly constituency Badami on Sunday, said.
The fiercely fought bypolls is being seen as a referendum of sorts on the BJP’s decision to form the government with the tacit support of the rebel legislators, who were eventually disqualified, and later contested as its candidates.
While the CM and his party went to polls with the stability plank, the opposition Congress and JDS too put up a tough fight calling voters to reject the disqualified legislators.
Though all three parties did make all-out efforts, at times, the Congress camp looked divided and without a clear strategy though 12 of these constituencies were held by the party.
If the BJP fails to get required numbers, the JDS will be looking to yet again play an important role in the state politics. JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy had earlier hinted at major political changes in the state after the bypoll results. The JDS is confident of doing well in some constituencies in Old Mysore region.
Monday’s results will not only decide on the continuation of the BJP government and the Congress’s revival plans, but also on political future of the disqualified legislators.
Leaders like M T B Nagaraj, who was a minister in the coalition government, S T Somashekar, who was chairman of Bangalore Development Authority, Dr K Sudhakar, Chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, A H Vishwanth, state president of Janata Dal (Secular) and Byrati Basavaraj, a close confidant of former CM Siddaramaiah had all resigned from the Assembly membership resulting in the fall of the coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy and formation of the BJP government. Yediyurappa had promised to make them ministers if they are elected.
On Sunday, the CM reiterated that most of them will be inducted into the ministry. He had earlier stated that cabinet expansion will be taken up soon after the bypolls.
Sources said if everything goes right for the party, the process of consultations among the top leaders over cabinet expansion will start in the next few days. The CM has left 17 cabinet slots vacant. “None of us will demand or lobby for ministership, we will accept it if it is given to us. Our priority is development of constituencies,” said S T Somashekar, who has contested from Yeshwantpur Assembly segment in Bengaluru.
The Congress and the JDS leaders, however, think that the BJP will fail to get the required numbers and the political dynamics in the state will change after the bypolls. The picture will be clear by Monday evening.