Karnataka Assembly Elections Result 2023: From Shiggaon to Varuna, 10 key constituencies to watch out for

Karnataka Assembly Elections Results: The fate of BJP, Congress, JD(S) and others will be decided on Saturday, May 13, in Karnataka. The result of the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 will be declared on Saturday. The counting of votes polled on May 10 will begin at 8 am. The state witnessed a fierce fight between arch-rivals BJP and the Congress. While parties including the JD(S) wait with bated breath to know the outcome as hung assembly is a possibility.

Poll officials expect a clear picture of the outcome is likely to emerge by mid-day. The electoral fortunes of top leaders including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP, Congress heavyweights Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar and JD(S)' HD Kumaraswamy, among many others will be known on Saturday. Besides this, there are several key constituencies in the state which are likely to see a tough fight. 

Key constituencies in Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023:

• Kanakapura - DK Shivakumar (Congress) vs R Ashok (BJP)
• Shiggaon - Basavaraj Bommai (BJP) vs Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan (Congress)
• Hubali-Dharwad Central - Mahesh Tenginkai (BJP) Jagadish Shettar (Congress)
• Channapatna - HD Kumaraswamy (JD (S)) vs CP Yogeshwar (BJP)
• Shikaripura - BY Vijayendra (BJP) vs GB Malatesh (Congress)
• Varuna - Siddaramaiah (Congress) vs  V Somanna (BJP) vs Dr Bharathi Shankar from JD(S)
• Hassan - Preetham Gowda (BJP) vs Banavasi Rangaswamy (Congress) vs  Swaroop Prakash from JD(S) 
• Athani - Mahesh Kumathalli (BJP) vs Laxman Savadi (Congress) 
• Udupi - Yashpal Suvarna (BJP) vs Prasadraj Kanchan (Congress) vs Dakshat R Shetty of JD(S)
• Chittapur - Priyank Kharge (Congress) vs  Subhash Chandra Rathore from JD(S) vs Manikanta Rathod (BJP)

READ | Karnataka Assembly Elections Result 2023: Key candidates to watch out for

Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the State, especially in and around the counting centres, to avoid any untoward incidents, official sources said. Most pollsters have given an edge to the Congress over the ruling BJP, while also indicating the possibility of a hung Assembly in the state.

The ruling BJP is looking to break a 38-year-old poll jinx where the people have never voted the incumbent party to power, while the Congress is hoping for a morale booster victory to give it a much-needed elbow room and momentum to position itself as the main opposition player in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The state registered a record turnout of 73.19 percent in the voting on May 10 to elect representatives to the 224-member Assembly.

It also remains to be seen whether former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) will emerge as a "kingmaker" or a "king" by holding the key to government formation, in the event of a hung verdict, as it has done in the past.

(With inputs from PTI)