 "Cong, BJP bet on big wins in Karnataka")
The ruling Congress in Karnataka is looking for a big win from a sharply bipolar race in the state in an outcome that could also have a bearing on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's standing within the party.
Exit polls on Karnataka have projected conflicting trends, some giving anxiety and others hopes both for the Congress and BJP, the principal opposition which is gung ho about a comeback after losing its first ever government in the South in the May Assembly polls last year.
It is a high-stake election for Siddaramaiah for whom the party should reach the respectable tally of at least 15 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats for him to continue to have a trouble-free power ride for some more time to come.
"Which one should I believe", the Chief Minister has wondered, even as he hopes that some of the flagship populist schemes of his government such as providing rice at Re 1 a kg to the poor would help shore up the numbers.
On the other side, BJP already appears to be euphoric that it would see a turnaround in its fortunes after the bitter Assembly polls debacle and more or less replicate the last Lok Sabha poll success.
Exit polls on Karnataka have projected conflicting trends, some giving anxiety and others hopes both for the Congress and BJP, the principal opposition which is gung ho about a comeback after losing its first ever government in the South in the May Assembly polls last year.
It is a high-stake election for Siddaramaiah for whom the party should reach the respectable tally of at least 15 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats for him to continue to have a trouble-free power ride for some more time to come.
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Siddaramaiah has been dismissive about exit poll numbers some of which have given a clear edge to BJP while some others for his party. In the 2009 polls, BJP bagged 19 seats, Congress six and JDS 3. Two subsequent by-polls saw the Congress increase its tally to eight at the expense of JDS.
"Which one should I believe", the Chief Minister has wondered, even as he hopes that some of the flagship populist schemes of his government such as providing rice at Re 1 a kg to the poor would help shore up the numbers.
On the other side, BJP already appears to be euphoric that it would see a turnaround in its fortunes after the bitter Assembly polls debacle and more or less replicate the last Lok Sabha poll success.