Karnataka Assembly Elections: HD Deve Gowda cast his vote in Hassan district
Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda - who, opinion polls predicted will play a kingmaker, has expressed confidence that his party will get majority. Both BJP and the Congress have accused Mr Deve Gowda's party of being hand-in-glove with the rival party.
After casting his vote today at Holenarasipura town of Hassan district along with wife Chennamma Deve Gowda, son HD Revanna and other family members, Mr Deve Gowda said, "We expect a possibility of forming the government, we have done well".
Mr Gowda's party, who has the traditional support of Vokkaligas in the state, has teamed up with Mayawati, the Dalit powerhouse from Uttar Pradesh. The two parties have claimed that they will form the nucleus of a non-Congress-non-BJP front.
The Congress, however, has accused the JD(S) of being the "B" team of the BJP, especially in Mysuru's Chamundeshwari, one of the seats from where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting.
The BJP has, however, refuted the Congress allegations. "It is the Congress that is secretly working with them and the two will align after the elections," Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.
Mr Gowda has also repeatedly said that he is not interested in an alliance with either party. He has even threatened to disinherit his son, HD KUmaraswamy after the post-poll alliance with the BJP in 2008, which ended in disaster.
Earlier today, Mr Kumaraswamy, who is also the party's chief ministerial candidate, met Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswami of Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math in Jayanagar.
Like Mr Siddaramaiah, Mr Kumaraswamy is contesting from two constituencies - Ramanagara and Channapatna.