Karnataka goes to polls on May 12 in all 224 constituencies. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janta Dal (S) - JD (S), along with their allies, will take on the incumbent Indian National Congress. Aam Aadmi Party will also make its debut in the state. 56,696 polling stations will be set-up for Karnataka assembly elections 2018 and the results will be announced on May 15. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and BS Yeddyurappa, the BJP's chief minsterial face, have already released their partys manifestos. Mr Gandhi said that his party had fulfilled most of its poll promises during its tenure.
Here's a quick recap of what happened in the 2013 Karnataka elections:
The 14th Karnataka legislative assembly elections were held on May 5, 2013 and the results were announced on May 8, 2013.
Five major political parties were in the poll fray: Indian National Congress (INC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S), B S Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) and B Sriramulu's Badavara Shramikara Raitara Congress Party (BSRCP).
The voter turnout in the Karnataka 2013 elections was around 71 per cent.
The BJP government in Karnataka led by BS Yeddyurappa had battled massive corruption charges and infighting through five turbulent years of rule. Mr Yeddyurappa was forced to step down as Karnataka chief minister in 2011 in a haze of corruption allegations by Karnataka's ombudsman or Lokayukta Santosh Hegde. This led to the downfall of the BJP which got only 40 seats in 2013 Karnataka elections.
After a gap of nine years, the Congress once again got a shot at ruling Karnataka. With an absolute majority of 122 seats, Congress registered a thumping victory and Siddaramaiah became the Chief Minister of Karnataka in 2013.
