Opinion poll projects Congress majority in Karnataka

New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) An exclusive opinion poll conducted by ABP-CVoter in Karnataka in late March reveals that the Congress will probably win a majority of seats in the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly, which will go to the polls on May 10.

According to an analysis of the survey data, the vote share of the Congress could rise from 38 per cent in 2018 to 40.1 per cent this time. Compared to 80 seats in 2018, the ABP-CVoter survey projects the Congress to win between 115 and 127 seats.

The survey also reveals that the party is leading over rivals BJP and JD(S) in all the regions of Karnataka. Even in the old Mysore region, which has been a stronghold of the JD(S), the Congress is projected to edge ahead of its rival while the BJP is projected to perform very poorly in this region.

Using scientific random sampling techniques, the survey interacted with around 25,000 respondents across all demographics, age groups and identities.

According to the survey, the BJP will probably lose the state by some distance. The vote share of the party could come down from 36 per cent in 2018 to 34.7 per cent this time. The drop in vote share is small, but the projected loss of seats is far higher.

From 104 seats in 2018, the party is projected to win between 68 and 80 seats, far behind the Congress. Contrary to what some political analysts say, the JD(S) will not be decimated or wiped out, as per the survey. The vote share of the party remains virtually the same at 18 per cent while the number of seats won drops from 37 in 2018 to between 23 and 35 seats this time.

Mumbai, March 23 (IANS) The Maharashtra Congress protested against the jail sentence pronounced to party MP Rahul Gandhi by a Surat Court, saying he is being 'punished' for raising voice against corruption, here on Thursday. Congress leaders led by state President Nana Patole, Mumbai President Bhai Jagtap, former Chief Ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Chavan, Vijay Wadettiwar, Sunil Kedar, Naseem Khan, Charan Singh Sapra, Atul Londhe, legislators and other joined the protests. They carried placards and posters supporting Rahul Gandhi and raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, and said the actions are being taken against him under 'pressures'. "Rahul Gandhi had spoken against corruption and highlighted the role of fugitives like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi... It's a fact that they ran away from India after looting public money through the banks," said Patole. He accused the Centre of pressure tactics as "its afraid of the growing influence of Rahul Gandhi, the fear of defeat and because of that, they are trying to trap him". He warned that if it is a crime to speak against the scamsters like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, then the Congress will intensify its protests by taking to the streets and holding 'jail-bharo' agitations all over Maharashtra. Ashok Chavan said it is clear that the BJP is worried over the growing influence of the Congress all over India after Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra and now they are retaliating with such action against Opposition leaders. Prithviraj Chavan said that the action against Rahul Gandhi has been taken maliciously, and that too from Gujarat, and said the Congress will move the Supreme Court to challenge the Surat Court verdict.