Karnataka CM rubbishes exit polls, says Cong will win 15-20 seats in State

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaih on Monday concurred with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement terming exit polls as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s media poll, as he asserted that the party will win 15-20 Lok Sabha seats out of 28 in the state.

Rahul Gandhi on Sunday dubbed the exit polls as “Modi media poll”. Exit polls on Saturday predicted that Modi will retain power for a third straight term, with the BJP-led NDA expected to win a big majority in the Lok Sabha polls.

They have also predicted the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s sweep in Karnataka, and none of them gave the ruling Congress a double-digit figure.

“Already Rahul Gandhi has reacted to exit polls, he has called it a Narendra Modi’s media survey. In Karnataka we will win more seats, we will win 15-20 seats,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

“(M) Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President) has said that across the country INDIA bloc will win 295 seats. I support it,” he added.

The then ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance had come a cropper, winning just one seat each in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. The BJP had swept the polls, winning 25 seats, and had ensured the victory of a party supported independent candidate in Mandya.

The JD(S) this time is in alliance with BJP, and has contested in three seats — Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.