DK Shivakumar Claims KCR Approaching Congress Candidates In Telangana After Exit Polls Predict BRS Loss

Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar told the media that the Congress is aware of Telangana CM KCR approaching Congress candidates.

Shivakumar expressed confidence in the Congress party's prospects and its Telangana candidates.

Source : PTI

Telangana Elections 2023: Following the release of exit poll predictions indicating a potential Congress victory in Telangana, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said Congress members in Telangana claimed that CM K Chandrashekar Rao had approached them to join the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). He expressed confidence in Congress members and said there are “no threats”. 

"There is no problem, no threat. We have confidence. Our party will win comfortably. We know that they are trying to trap us. Our candidates have informed us about being approached by CM (KCR) himself, so we have this information," Shivakumar said.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar says, "There is no problem, no threat. We have confidence. Our party will win comfortably...We know that they are trying to trap us...Our candidates have informed us that they have been approached by CM (KCR)… pic.twitter.com/oAsbRexlkC

— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2023

However, BRS's working president KT Rama Rao dismissed the exit poll results, labelling them as 'nonsense' and 'rubbish'. He asserted BRS is confident of retaining power. The Telangana Assembly polls, comprising 119 seats, concluded on Nov 30, and the exit poll results were subsequently published.

Addressing reporters after the exit polls, KT Rama Rao said, "...to come to power for a third consecutive term, BRS will win more than 70 seats in the 119-member Assembly". BRS has ruled Telangana since its formation in 2014.

In reference to the 2018 exit polls, Rao highlighted that among all the predictions made, only one agency accurately forecast the TRS (now BRS) winning 48-66 seats, while the party secured 88 seats. "This tells you what kind of rubbish they publish in the name of exit polls," he said, as per a report on IANS.

According to the ABP-CVoter exit poll, Congress seems to be on the brink of a significant upsurge, projecting a remarkable leap from 19 to 57 seats and a notable +12.4% increase in votes. In contrast, the ruling BRS faces a potential setback with a -8.1% swing, potentially declining from 88 to 46 seats.