If 2008 saw a positive vote and the dawn of BJP in South India, the 2013 elections will be known for negative vote and the return of Congress to power in Karnataka.
Congress is confident but unsure of numbers due to the wrong selection of candidates, infighting among leaders and the absence of grassroots workers.
The BJP is fighting to survive with decent numbers, as the outcome in Karnataka will have a bearing on subsequent elections in various states and the General elections. The BJP has solid organisation but stumbled along under BS Yeddyurappa.
The Yeddyurappa factor continues to haunt the party as the former chief minister is out in the poll battle to cut the BJP to size. The KJP will split BJP votes and may not cross double figures in the final tally.
Even though some poll surveys have named JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy as a choice for the chief ministership, his party will remain in a 30-seat bracket and may like to play a role in government formation.
The Karnataka State Assembly, with 224 seats, requires 113 to form the government.
When Is the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013?
Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013 will be held on May 5 [Sunday], and the results will be announced on May 8, 2013.
Landscape of Political Parties Participating
| Party | # of Candidates |
|---|---|
| BJP | 222 |
| Congress | 223 |
| JD(S) | 222 |
| KJP | 209 |
| BSR Congress | 150 |
113 of 224 seats are required to form the government in Karnataka.
Other Stats
- 250,000 polling officers on duty
- 65,000 electronic voting machines to be used
- Total number of voters: 4.35 crore (43.5 million)
- Demography of voters: 2.22 crore male, 2.13 crore female (51:49)
Political Parties On Social Media And Internet
- Karnataka Congress: Official website, X, Facebook
- Karnataka BJP: Official website, X, Facebook
- JD(S): X, Facebook
- Loksatta Bangalore: X, Facebook
NGOs Working For Karnataka Assembly Elections
Many NGOs work very hard every election to increase voter turnout and educate the voters about the candidates. SmartVote has been doing this for years in Bangalore.
In 2013, a group of successful entrepreneurs and bureaucrats formed BPAC. BPAC is active on X. As promised, BPAC endorsed 14 candidates in Bangalore for the upcoming elections. The candidates are from various political parties.