Legislative Assembly elections were held in Karnataka on 10 May 2023 to elect all 224 members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The votes were counted and the results were declared on 13 May 2023.
The election saw a final voter turnout of 73.84%, the highest ever recorded in the history of Legislative Assembly elections in Karnataka.
The Indian National Congress won the election by landslide victory by getting 135 seats, making it their biggest win by seats and vote share in Karnataka since the 1989 elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) conceded defeat, finishing second and third, respectively.
Background
The tenure of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly ended on 24 May 2023. The previous assembly elections were held in May 2018. The Indian National Congress won the election in a landslide by getting 135 seats, making it their biggest win by seats and vote share in Karnataka since the 1989 elections.
Political developments
In July 2019, the coalition government collapsed due to resignations by several members of Congress and JD(S) in the assembly. Subsequently, Bharatiya Janata Party formed the state government, with B. S. Yediyurappa becoming Chief Minister.
On 26 July 2021, Yediyurappa resigned from the chief minister's post and Basavaraj Bommai was sworn in as the new chief minister on 28 July 2021.
Defections before polls
On 19 February 2023, BJP leader H.D. Thammaiah joined Congress along with his supporters. On 9 March 2023, BJP MLC Puttanna joined the Congress. Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar quit BJP on 16 April 2023 and joined Congress the next day. Other leaders that left BJP before the polls included Laxman Savadi, M. P. Kumaraswamy and R. Shankar.
Schedule
The schedule for the election was announced by the Election Commission of India on 29 March 2023. The Election Commission declared that the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct "came into force with immediate effect" with the announcement of schedule.
Election statistics
Electorate
The total electorate in the state were 52,173,579 of which there were 26,200,000 men, 25,900,000 women and 4,699 transgender voters. 16,976 centenarians, 12.15 lakh voters over the age of 80 and 917,000 first-time voters were also included in the total. Moreover, 555,000 voters were physically challenged.
Polling stations
The Election Commission announced 58,282 polling stations for the election, out of which 24,063 were in urban areas and 34,219 in rural areas. The commission announced that to ensure enhanced voter participation, 1,320 polling stations were to be managed by women, 224 each by youth and disabled personnel. 130,000 vials of indelible ink were supplied by Mysore Paints and Varnish for the polls.
Parties contested
National Democratic Alliance
National Democratic Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
United Progressive Alliance
Janata Dal (Secular)
Janata Dal (Secular)
Candidates
JD(S) released the first list of 93 candidates on 19 December 2022 and the second list of 49 candidates on 14 April 2023. Another list of 6 candidates on 15 April. and candidate for Chamaraja was announced on 16 April. A list of 59 candidates was released on 19 April. On the same day, another list was released wherein candidates from 12 constituencies were replaced and support was given to other parties in 7 other constituencies. Final list of 13 candidates was released on 20 April.
Karnataka PCC released the first list of 124 candidates on 25 March 2023, the second list of 41 candidates on 6 April, leaving one seat for Sarvodaya Karnataka Party, the third list of 43 candidates on 15 April, the fourth list of 7 candidates on 18 April, the fifth list of 4 candidates (including replacement for Shiggaon constituency) on 19 April and the sixth and final list of 5 candidates on 20 April.
BJP Karnataka released the first list of 189 candidates on 11 April 2023, the second list of 23 candidates on 12 April, the third list of 10 candidates on 17 April the fourth and final list of 2 candidates on 19 April.
Issues
Belagavi border dispute
Tensions concerning the Belagavi border dispute intensified in early December 2022 as a delegation of Maharashtra politicians proposed to travel to Belagavi district to demand the merger of some villages in Karnataka with Maharashtra, with politicians from Maharashtra making provocative statements. The border row escalated into violence after vehicles from both states were attacked and damaged in Belgavi and Pune in mid-December.
The issue has resurfaced ahead of assembly elections. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah has demanded the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for failing in his duties to protect the state.
Corruption
In July 2021, D. Kempanna, president of the Karnataka State Contractors' Association wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging large-scale corruption in the award and implementation of civil contracts in Karnataka. In the letter, he alleged that contractors were being forced to pay a 40% commission to officials at the BJP government, cutting across departments, for projects. Congress started a campaign PayCM to widely publicize these allegations.
Contractor Santhosh Patil (aged 40) who accused then-state cabinet minister K. S. Eshwarappa of harassing him for commissions committed suicide at Shambhavi Hotel in Udupi on 12 April 2022. He alleged that the BJP leader had been harassing him for commissions to clear the bills for contracts he had implemented for the government over a year ago. Eshwarappa had to resign as cabinet minister following the incident, and has retired from electoral politics.
Later in November 2024, the Karnataka Lokayukta cleared the BJP Karnataka unit of the 40% commission allegations, BJP leaders labelled Congress's allegations as false and claimed that they were a part of their election toolkit strategy. The state unit also said that the contractor who levied the allegations had not worked with the government for the past six years.
In August 2022, two associations representing 13,000 schools in Karnataka wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government of corruption. "Unscientific, irrational, discriminatory and noncompliance norms are applied to only unaided private schools and huge corruption is in place," the letter read. The school associations urged PM Modi to look into the allegations and launch an inquiry into the affairs of the Karnataka education ministry.
In order to "expose" the ruling BJP in Karnataka, the opposition Congress party has determined to make the Bitcoin scam an election issue in the 2023 elections.
When the merchandise was exported via Goa, depriving Karnataka of its tax revenue, the state exchequer lost roughly Rs 60 crore while the excise scam cost about Rs 200 crore, according to Priyank Kharge.
Congress party also released a 'corruption rate card' in English and Kannada languages, alleging the ruling BJP of looting ₹1,50,000 crore during last four years. The Election Commission issued a notice to Congress over these ads asked to provide evidence to support the claims.
Communal polarization
According to political analysts Phani Rajanna and Sandeep Shastri, with Karnataka polls nearing, the BJP is raking up more and more communal issues to divide people and polarise the votes. This has been shown by communal tensions started by right-wing Hindutva groups on use of hijab in government schools, sale of halal meat, broadcasting of azan on loudspeakers, a boycott of Muslim-run shops & Muslim employees similar to the Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses, moral policing specifically targeting Muslims and violence against Christians, which have been linked to the Bommai government. Bommai was widely perceived to be weak within the Karnataka BJP, due to which hardliners like Tejasvi Surya & B. L. Santhosh took over the reins of party administration.
The BJP has focused its campaign around these communal issues, drawing stark criticism from the opposition Congress, which accused it of neglecting governance issues.
Reservation controversy
Caste politics have once again risen to the forefront following the just completed elections in five states. The tone for the assembly elections the next year is being set by the regrouping of various caste lobbies in their fight for reservation. The Karnataka government has courted controversy with its orders to take away 4% OBC quota from low-caste Muslims and redistributing them to Lingayats and Vokkaligas. In addition the government has expressed support for internal reservation for Scheduled Castes into SC right, SC left and SC 'touchable' and SC other. Communities such as the Banjara have protested this move as depriving them of a share.
Farm laws
While various caste groups are working to make the controversial farm rules that the government passed two years ago the main topic for the forthcoming assembly elections, farmer organisations are getting ready to resurrect the issue.
Nandini vs Amul
In Karnataka, a war brewing between two major milk cooperatives in the country has spilled over into a political slugfest ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. The Amul vs Nandini row has created a stir in the state, with opposition mainly Congress leaders and pro-Kannada regionalist groups attacking the government for allowing the Gujarat-based Amul to sell fresh milk and curd in Bengaluru. The critics believe that entry of Amul in the fresh milk market could spell trouble for Karnataka's local brand, Nandini.
Controversies
On 3 January 2023, BJP Karnataka state president Nalin Kumar Kateel in a party meet at Mangalore said that people should prioritise the issue of "Love jihad" over "road, gutter, drain and other small issues". His comments were criticised by Congress leaders and several state BJP leaders also expressed unhappiness over the remarks.
On 26 April 2023, BJP top leader Amit Shah said, "If the Congress comes to power, dynastic politics will be at an all-time high and Karnataka will be afflicted with riots". In response, Indian National Congress filed a police complaint against Amit Shah for provocative statements and promoting enmity.
On 9 May 2023, the Supreme Court termed Amit Shah's public speeches on scrapping of the 4 per cent quota for Muslims during the campaign in Karnataka when the matter was pending in the court, as "inappropriate" and alleged that the speeches amounted to "contempt of court proceedings".
Collection and sale of voter data
The Indian National Congress made allegations that Chilume Trust, an NGO in Bengaluru, had amassed voter personal data, including caste, age, gender, work and education information, Aadhaar cards, phone numbers and more. The Congress alleged that BJP assigned party workers through the NGO to collect such information, and names of legitimate voters of the opposition party were deleted and that names of 'fake voters' were added to ensure more votes for the BJP. The Congress also demanded resignation of Chief Minister over the matter.
In December 2022, the NGO was blacklisted by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Bengaluru's civic body, and a police complaint was filed against them for breach of trust. Subsequently, a probe was launched against the activities of the trust.
In April 2023, another company was found to be selling voter data of at least 6.5 lakh voters through an online portal. The Election Commission of India is investigating whether the data has been used for calling the voters and bribing them. An FIR has been lodged by Bengaluru Police against the online portal following a complaint made by an independent candidate who was approached by the seller.
BJP MLA C. N. Ashwath Narayan sent voters messages containing information (their names, voter ID card number, relatives' names and the booth address) from their voter ID cards on WhatsApp. This led to outrage among the voters questioning the legality of the practice and violation of their privacy.
During an election campaign in Kalaburagi, Congress president and Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka Mallikarjun Kharge made a remark against PM Narendra Modi, calling him a 'poisonous snake'. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai criticized the Congress leader and said that the comment will instead benefit BJP. BJP called it Congress's 'hate politics' and also demanded FIR against Congress leader.