Telangana results: Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar in Hyderabad to 'protect' Congress candidates

Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar along with 10 ministers are in Hyderabad, Telangana, to 'protect' the party's candidates, sources have revealed to India Today. He has been tasked by the Congress high command to keep the grand old party's leaders together and on the same page as exit polls have predicted a clear victory for the party in Telangana.

Congress has planned to put a worker with each MLA candidate in order to secure them. Man-to-man protection is likely for the candidates throughout the day as counting of assembly elections in Telangana are being held. The counting commenced at 8 am today.

Known as the 'problem-solver', Shivakumar reportedly said on Saturday that he has full faith in his MLAs and in the victory of Congress in Telangana, adding that it is impossible to poach the grand old party's MLAs.

He sought to deny reports about being asked by his party to bring all winning candidates from five states that recently voted, to resorts and hotels in Karnataka ahead of the declaration of results. He responded to reports of being asked to replicate arrangements made for 44 Gujarat legislators during the August 2017 elections to prevent 'poaching'.

"There is no need for them (MLAs) to go anywhere," Shivakumar was quoted by media.

He added that some people were trying to get in touch with the winning Congress candidates in Telangana, but the grand old party would manage it locally, as per the media.

Congress is set to win in Telangana with a 42 per cent vote share and 68 seats, as per India Today-Axis My India exit poll projections. Meanwhile, the ruling Bhartiya Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is expected to secure 39 seats and a 36 per cent vote share.