Counting of the votes for all 224 seats in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is to begin at 8:00 AM on Saturday morning.

After a high-pitched campaign and intense voting in Karnataka, the fate of over 2,600 candidates is now locked in the electronic voting machines.

Before the start of the elections, the majority of opinion polls predicted a โ€œmajor winโ€ for Congress, a big loss for BJP, and a below-par performance for JD(S).

However, what exactly turns out to be the result will be worth nothing.

While the exit poll hints at a fractured mandate, Congress President M Kharge on Friday claimed that his party will have a “thumping victory”.