Can BJP Reclaim South Foothold With Karnataka?

Karnataka is voting today in an election that will decide the future of the Congress as it fights an aggressive campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP to wrest another big opposition-ruled state and also regain their only gateway to the south. It is the last major state held by the Congress under Rahul Gandhi, whose leadership will be tested for the first time since he took charge as party chief in December. Around 10.6 per cent voter turnout was reported till 9 am. A party needs 113 seats for a majority in 224-member Karnataka assembly but opinion polls predict that it will be a close fight, which could give regional party Janata Dal Secular a chance to play an important role in government formation. In an acrimonious campaign, PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi targeted each other in rival rallies. The Karnataka election results on Tuesday will be a weather vane ahead of more state elections later this year and the national polls.