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Congress will win Karnataka Assembly polls, says party chief

Party high command to decide chief minister: Mallikarjun Kharge

Soon after the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly polls was announced, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that the party will win the polls and the high command with the opinion of the victorious candidates will decide the chief ministerial face.

Speaking to reporters, Kharge said that Congress is strong in the poll-bound state and senior leaders of the party, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will campaign in the state to add to the strength.

"Congress is making efforts to highlight the corruption of the BJP government. Our workers have worked at the booth level. We have all possibility of us winning the elections which is why the prime minister is sending his cabinet ministers to Karnataka and he himself and the Home minister is visiting the state," he said.

"Probably it is for the first time in the history of Karnataka Assembly polls that so many people are after Congress. But Congress is strong there and will win. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other senior leaders of our party will also visit the state," Kharge added.

The Congress chief, however, did not declare the number of seats the party is expected to secure in the polls.

"The face of the chief minister will be decided after the elections. The views of the victorious MLAs will be sought and then the high command will decide. I cannot declare the exact number Congress will win but I can say that the party will win," he said.

Earlier today, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar lashed out at the Basavaraj Bommai government saying that the earlier it is dismissed, the better it is for the state.

"Congress is ready for elections, we want this government to be dismissed. The earlier this government is dismissed, the better it is for the state and country. This election will be development-oriented and for a corruption-free state and country," Shivakumar told reporters.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state Congress chief alleged that he is "compromising corrupt activities" in Karnataka.

"This election will be a model because corruption is at its peak. Modi encouraged corruption and did not open his mouth. He did not take any action on his party leaders. Only for the sake of party he is compromising a lot of corrupt activities. The BJP never gave employment to the youth. Our clean administration will bring our party to power," he said.

Karnataka, which has 224 seats in the Assembly currently has 119 MLAs of the ruling BJP, while Congress has 75 and its ally JD(S) has 28 seats.

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly polls. The voting will take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13.