Karnataka polls: Big leaders on campaign trail

Leaders cutting across party lines criss-crossed the length and breadth of Karnataka ahead of high stakes assembly polls.

The high-voltage campaign for Karnataka assembly elections ended on Thursday evening.

Polling for 223 seats of the 224-member Assembly was held on May 12.

Results will be declared on May 15th.

Opinion polls and surveys have projected a close contest with neither BJP nor Congress getting the majority on its own and JD(S) Kumaraswamy playing the "Kingmaker".

BJPs chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa addressing the public in Belagavi, Karnataka.

“Don’t rest now. If you think that somebody isn’t voting, go to their homes, tie up their hands and legs

The leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), H D Kumaraswamy, visited CV Raman Nagar in Bangalore on May 1 for a campaign rally.

The JD(S) has said it will not take the support of the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls. The party, led by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, holds sway in the southern region of the state.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah addressed a rally in Malavalli constituency of Karnataka on Tuesday.

The highlight of the rally was faux pas made by Siddaramaiah when he praised PM Narendra Modi while campaigning for Congress leader Narendra Swamy.

He was talking about the achievements of a Congress member and by mistake called him Narendra Modi instead of Narendra Swamy.

In the last assembly elections in Karnataka 2013, Congress emerged victorious with 122 seats.

Whereas, BJP and JD both secured 40 seats each.

Siddaramaiah took the oath as the new chief minister.

This time however it could be a close contest between the BJP and the Congress.