ABP Exit Poll: BJP expected to get 15 seats in Karnataka, Congress-JDS 13

Despite its loss in 2018 assembly polls, the BJP is likely to win 15 out of Karnataka's 28 seats, the ABP News-Nielsen exit poll predicted on Sunday. The BJP had won 17 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

BJP supporters, wearing masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: PTI

NEW DELHI: Despite its loss in 2018 assembly polls, the BJP is likely to win 15 out of Karnataka's 28 seats, the ABP News-Nielsen exit poll predicted on Sunday. The BJP had won 17 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. On the other hand, the Congress and the Janata-Dal-Secular, which contested the polls in alliance, will get 13 seats. The Congress had won nine while the JD-S had won two seats in 2014 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Voting on 28 seats of Karnataka took place in the second phase and the third phase on April 18 and 23. The exit poll predictions are a setback to the precariously positioned ruling Congress-JD-S coalition in the state. The BJP, which lost power in the Assembly elections by a whisker, will be back in contention in the state if the exit poll predictions come true. The projections for Lok Sabha will have ramifications in the state politics as the ruling coalition is already under stress. It will give the BJP another chance to move in and exploit the inherent weakness of the ruling alliance to form the government. Meanwhile, the exit poll predicted that the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is all set to return to power winning 277 seats in Lok Sabha elections, five seats above the majority mark.  The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) could win 130 seats while other regional parties are tipped to win 135 seats. In terms of vote share, the exit poll predicts 39 per cent votes to the NDA, followed by 26 per cent votes to the UPA. Others account for 35 per cent vote share. The exit poll shows that the BJP is expected to win 227 seats, a 30 per cent decline over 2014, while the Congress is seen bagging 87 seats (almost a 200 per cent jump). The exit poll predicted that the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Mahagathbandhan will emerge as the third largest force in the 17th Lok Sabha with 56 seats.