As the southern state of Karnataka gears up for its upcoming assembly election, political parties are gearing up for a tough battle. With a total of 224 seats up for grabs, the major parties contesting this election are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)).

Key Candidates to Watch Out For

The Congress party has fielded key candidates such as Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, and Mal likarjun Kharges son Priyank Kharge. Meanwhile, the BJP is banking on its Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, BS Yediyurappas son Vijayendra Yediyurappa, and CT Ravi. The JD(S) has HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy as top faces. Notably, Jagadish Shettar, who switched to Congress after being denied a ticket from the BJP, is another key candidate to watch out for.

Results of the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections

In the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 104 seats, followed by the Congress with 80 seats, and JD(S) with 37 seats. However, with no party securing a clear majority, the Congress and JD(S) forged an alliance and tried to form a government. However, the BJP staked its claim and formed the government as the single largest party. But this government collapsed in just three days after the BJP was unable to muster the required numbers. The Congress-JD(S) alliance then formed the government with HD Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister.

BJPs Comeback in 2019 By-polls and Current State of the Assembly

In the by-polls held subsequently in 2019, the ruling BJP won 12 out of 15 seats, paving the way for its return to power. In the outgoing assembly, the BJP holds the majority with 116 MLAs, followed by the Congress with 69, JD(S) with 29, and two independents. Six seats are currently vacant due to resignations and deaths.

Vote Share and Expectations for the 2023 Elections

In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress garnered a vote share of 38.04%, followed by the BJP at 36.22%, and JD(S) at 18.36%. However, with the state facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, the upcoming election is expected to be a closely fought battle. The BJP is seeking to retain power by highlighting its achievements, while the Congress and JD(S) are hoping to regain power by attacking the BJP’s policies.

With the election just around the corner, all eyes are on Karnataka to see who will emerge victorious in this crucial battle.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who are the key candidates in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Elections?

  Some of the key candidates in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly Elections include Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, Jagadish Shettar, Laxman Savadi, Priyank Kharge, Basavaraj Bommai, Vijayendra Yediyurappa, CT Ravi, and Ramesh Jarkiholi.

• What happened in the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections?

  In the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats, followed by the Congress with 80 seats and the JD(S) with 37 seats. As no party was able to secure a clear majority, the Congress and JD(S) formed an alliance to try and form the government. However, the BJP’s BS Yediyurappa staked claim and formed the government as his party had won the most seats. The government dissolved within three days ahead of a trust vote, and subsequently, the Congress-JD(S) alliance formed the government with HD Kumaraswamy as chief minister. This government collapsed in 14 months, paving the way for the BJP’s return to power.

• How many seats does each party hold in the outgoing Karnataka Assembly?

  In the outgoing Karnataka Assembly, the BJP holds 116 seats, followed by the Congress with 69 seats and the JD(S) with 29 seats. Additionally, there is one BSP MLA, two independents, one speaker, and six vacant seats as a result of deaths and resignations to join other parties ahead of the elections.

• What happened in the bypolls held after the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections?

  In the bypolls held after the 2018 Karnataka Assembly Elections, the ruling BJP won 12 out of 15 seats.