Bangalore, May 8, 2013:
Will it be a super Wednesday or a day of disaster..? Answer to this million dollar question will come out with in few hours from now.
The day would begin with all eyes on Karnataka. Counting in the elections to the 224 member State Assembly will begin at 8 am across Karnataka on Wednesday.
Everyone will come to know whether Karnataka scores a hat-trick of fractured mandates or gets a clear verdict.
The state electorate had delivered a fractured verdict in 2004 leading two coalition governments — Congress and JDS, followed by JDS and BJP.
In the 2008 polls, the BJP won only 110 seats and crossed the majority mark of 113 with the support of five Independent MLA’s.
According to poll pundits Congress is expected to do well this time. However the euphoria in the Congress may wane when the Supreme Court takes up the CBI affidavit that has admitted that Law Minister Ashwani Kumar had made substantive changes in the coal allocation report which was supposed to be submitted only to apex court.
Pressure would also be mounted on Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal as evidence against him in the bribery case is stumbling out thick and fast.
The BJP is not accepting, at least in public yet, that it is all over for the party in view of corruption scandals and infighting which forced three chief ministers on the state in just over four years of BJP rule.
Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and state BJP chief Pralhad Joshi claim the party has been able to overcome the impact of corruption scandals that marred the first three years of its rule under B.S. Yeddyurappa, who was forced to quit in July 2011 over mining bribery charges.
The JDS, is also entertaining hopes of ruling the state on its own or at least garner enough seats to be in a position to dictate terms to whoever needs its support to form the government.
Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said counting of votes will start at 8 am and initial trends will be available by 10 am.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), as per the EC directions, has taken over the responsibility of securing the premises of the strong rooms where the EVMs have been stored.
(Published @ 7am)
