Opinion polls have started predicting the outcome of the May 12 Assembly elections in Karnataka, with most showing that neither the Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party will win a clear majority in the 224-member House.

The latest one, conducted by TimesNow and VMR, has forecast a close contest between the Congress and BJP, in addition to the possibility of Janata Dal (Secular) President HD Kumaraswamy playing the kingmaker. The poll says that the ruling Congress is likely to win 91 seats, the BJP 89 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) 40 seats.

According to the India Today and Karvy Insights survey, the elections will result in a hung Assembly, with the Congress winning 90 to 101 seats, the BJP 78 to 86 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) most of the remaining seats.

A number of other opinion polls were released earlier this year, including the C-Fore survey, which predicted a win for the Congress, the ABP News-CSDS polls that forecast a hung Assembly with the BJP in the lead, and the TV9-C Voter survey that said the Congress would emerge the single largest party.

The results of the Assembly elections will be released on May 15.