BS Yediyurappa said he was confident of a BJP victory.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said the central leadership of the BJP will take a call on whether the party will approach Janata Dal-Secular for support if today's election does not produce a clear winner.
Despite the exit poll results which gave the edge to the Congress, the BJP was set to win with an absolute majority, he said.
"Even now, I am 100 per cent confident that we are going to form the government with an absolute majority. There is no question of a hung assembly or a coalition government, but the national leadership will take the final call. We will get 115-117 seats, so the question of joining with JD-S right now does not arise. Let us wait and see," the BJP veteran said.
Exit polls released on Wednesday evening indicated a close contest between the Congress and the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly elections. Most pollsters have given Congress a slight advantage in the race, with results expected to be announced on Saturday.
India Today-Axis My India has predicted a clear majority for Congress with 122-140 seats in the 224-member assembly, allotting the BJP 62-80 seats and JD-S 20-25 seats. News 24-Today's Chanakya also forecasts a majority for Congress with 120 seats, compared to 92 for the BJP and 12 for the JD-S.
The ABP News-C Voter exit poll projects Congress with 100-112 seats, BJP with 83-95, and JD-S with 21-29. Republic TV-P MARQ anticipates Congress securing 94-108 seats, BJP with 85-100, and JD-S at 24-32. India TV-CNX exit polls predict 110-120 seats for Congress, 80-90 for the BJP, and 20-24 for JD-S.
TV9 Bharatvarsh-Polstrat projects Congress winning 99-109 seats, BJP with 88-98, and JD-S at 21-26. Zee News-Matrize Agency estimates Congress taking 103-118 seats, BJP with 79-94, and JD-S securing 25-33.
The 2018 Assembly elections saw the BJP emerge as the single largest party, winning 104 out of 224 seats, followed by Congress with 80 and JD-S with 37. However, no party secured a clear majority, leading to a short-lived BJP government followed by a Congress-JD-S alliance. The coalition government collapsed within 14 months as 17 legislators resigned and defected to the BJP, allowing it to return to power.