Don't worry, Congress will come back: Siddaramaiah dismisses exit polls on Karnataka

BENGALURU: The exit polls on Saturday predicted a hung assembly in Karnataka with no political party winning a clear majority in the 225-member assembly. However, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is unperturbed. In a tweet on Sunday morning, the CM asked Congress members not to worry about the exit polls and asked them to treat it as mere entertainment. 

"Exit opinion polls are entertainment for the next 2 days. Relying on poll of polls is like a person who can’t swim crossing a river on foot relying on a statistician who told him the average depth of the river is 4 feet... So, Dear party workers, supporters & well wishers, don’t worry about exit polls. Relax & enjoy your weekend," he tweeted on Sunday. 

So, Dear party workers, supporters & well wishers, don’t worry about exit polls. Relax & enjoy your weekend.

We are coming back. 2/2

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 13, 2018

ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಪಕ್ಷದ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತರೆ ಮತ್ತು ಹಿತಚಿಂಕರೆ,ಚುನಾವಣಾ ಪ್ರಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ‌ ತೊಡಗಿದ್ದ ನೀವು ನನ್ನಂತೆಯೇ ದಣಿದಿದ್ದೀರಿ ಎಂದು ಗೊತ್ತು. Exit Poll ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚು‌ ತಲೆಕೆಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಡಿ. ಆರಾಮವಾಗಿರಿ, ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಜತೆ ಕಾಲ ಕಳೆಯಿರಿ. ಮೇ ೧೫ರಂದು‌ ಸಿಗೋಣ. ಹಿರಿಯರ ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದ ಮತ್ತು ಕಿರಿಯರ ಹಾರೈಕೆಯಿಂದ ಒಳ್ಳೆಯದೇ ಆಗುತ್ತದೆ. — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 13, 2018

Confident of a victory, the CM had on Saturday thanked voters for their support. "We have fought this election on the plank of our 5-year performance and our vision for the state. I am confident the people of Karnataka will bless us to continue serving them," he said.

Siddaramaiah had also dubbed his political rival, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s B S Yeddyurappa as "mentally disturbed" for his claim that he would take oath as the chief minister on May 17. "Congress will get the clear majority. There is no confusion about this. We are very confident that Congress will come back to power with a clear majority. He (Yeddyurappa) is mentally disturbed. BJP can't get more than 60-65 seats," Siddaramaiah said.

He had also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, charging that income tax raids were ordered against Congress workers and well-wishers out of desperation because the saffron party was sure of losing the election.

He also dismissed the BJP's allegations that the Congress misused government machinery during the assembly polls. "How can it be? Is it possible? I can never do it in my political career. They (BJP) are making false allegations. On the other hand, they (BJP) are doing it," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Varuna constituency in Mysuru from where his son is contesting.

Siddaramaiah contested from Chamundeshwari constituency in Mysuru apart from Badami in north Karnataka.
 
The high-stakes battle for the Karnataka Assembly ended on Saturday evening, with about 70 per cent voting being recorded till 6 p.m. All three main contenders for power - Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) - have claimed they would win hands down. Indicating a tight race between the BJP and the Congress, most exit polls forecast a hung assembly but gave the saffron party an edge with a possibility of the JD(S) emerging as the kingmaker.