"...Accepted By Public": Sachin Pilot Hails Congress Karnataka Strategy

As the early trends in Karnataka showed the Congress party crossing the halfway mark in Karnataka, Sachin Pilot on Saturday said that the issue of "corruption" raised by the party against the ruling BJP turned out decisive in the victory.

The former Deputy Chief Minister made these remarks during the third day of his 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' in Ajmer's Zisani on Friday.

Speaking to ANI, Mr Pilot said, "Congress has the majority. We will have a thumping victory. The slogan of '40 per cent commission government' given by us, was accepted by the public. It was a major issue raised by us to defeat BJP. People accepted it and gave the majority to the Congress".

Notably "40 per cent commission government" was a political jibe used by Congress against the ruling BJP alleging several corruption charges under its tenure.

Mr Pilot is holding the five-day Jan Sangharsh Yatra from Ajmer to Jaipur. During this, he will stop at different locations.

He started the yatra on Thursday in protest against the inaction of the Rajasthan government in the alleged corruption cases during the previous Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in the state.

Meanwhile, as per the early trends of counting for the Karnataka assembly elections, the Congress party stood in a comfortable position to form the majority by crossing the halfway mark and was seen leading on 115 seats at 10:40 am.

BJP on the other hand was ahead at 73 seats. JD(S) was leading at 23 seats. While the ECI data also showed two seats being led by other parties; Kalyana and Rajya Pragati Paksha and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha both leading on one seat each.

The voting for the assembly elections ended on Wednesday with a 69.95 voter turnout. The counting of the votes will be held on May 13.

A party needs 113 seats for a majority in the 224-member Karnataka assembly.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)