Karnataka Assembly polls: Congress set to form new govt, CM Bommai admits defeat

Bengaluru: The exit poll predictions proved to be true in Karnataka as the trends indicate a big win for the Congress party in the state. The party is heading for a big victory as the counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly election has entered the final phase. According to the Election Commission data, the party has won in 136 seats while the magic number to form the government is 113. The BJP has won in 65 seats while the JDS has won in 19, and Others winning in 4 seats. The Congress performed well in all regions across Karnataka except coastal region. The counting of votes began at 8 AM amid tight security.

As the party is heading for a comfortable victory, the party leadership has asked all its elected MLAs to reach Bengaluru by the evening. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will reach Bengaluru soon to initiate discussions on forming the government.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has admitted the party's defeat. He said that the party would analyze the defeat and reorganize it for the Lok Sabha election scheduled next year.

“We have not been able to meet the mark despite a lot of efforts by everybody right from the Prime Minister to the workers. Congress was able to make it,” Bommai told reporters. “Once the results are out we will do a detailed analysis. As a national political party we will not only identify the gaps and shortcomings at different levels but also will take steps to improve it,” he said.

We will work as a responsible opposition in the coming days, he added.

Meanwhile, the credit for Congress' big win goes to the party president Mallikarjun Kharge whose planning, campaign and formulas helped the party to wrest power from the BJP.

Karnataka votes against Modi, says Siddaramaiah

Responding to the state assembly election results, former chef minister M Siddaramaiah said that it is a clear mandate against PM narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda.

"The matured voters of Karnataka voted against the BJP to save the State from the threat to the secular fabric of the State. There is a strong anti-incumbency factor against the BJP and the people of Karnataka voted for a change," he said while talking to reporters in Mysuru.

"This victory is a stepping stone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Party leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Mallijarjuna Kharge campaigned aggressively for the party and Rahul's ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra proved to be beneficial for the party," he added.

Meanwhile, Central Karnataka, where Lingayat vote matters, leaned towards Congress in postal ballot round. South Karnataka which contributes large chunk of seats and where JD(S) was considered strong, voted for Congress. Coastal Karnataka and Mumbai Karnataka mostly stayed with the BJP.

Who won, who lost?

• Law & Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Maduswamy (BJP) loses to C B Suresh Babu of JD(S) in Chikkanayakanahalli by 10,042 votes.
  
• Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri (BJP) loses to Bhimanna Naik of Congress by 8,712 votes in Sirsi seat.
  
• Outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday registered his fourth consecutive victory from the Shiggoan constituency in Haveri district, defeating his nearest rival Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan of the Congress by a margin of 35,341 votes.
  
• KPCC president DK Shivakumar has won from Kanakapura constituency with huge margin. Laxman Savadi defeated BJP’s Mahesh Kumathalli in Athani.
  
• Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday got a landslide victory in the Varuna constituency, defeating his nearest rival by a margin of 46,006 votes and entering the Karnataka Assembly for the ninth time.
  
• In Channapatna former CM and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy is leading after 6th round by a narrow margin. He secured 28,166 and BJP’s CP Yogeshwara got 28,166 votes. Meanwhile, his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is trailing.
  
• Mining baron G Janardhan Reddy is leading in Gangawati with. He secured 29,553 votes after round 7. His nearest rival is Iqbal Ansari of Congress who got 12,562 votes.
  
• HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is leading in Ramanagara by 3,011 votes against H A Iqbal Hussain of the Congress.
  
• Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge won Chittapur against BJP's Manikanta Rathod by 13,640 votes.
  
• Transport Minister B Sriramulu (BJP) loses to B Nagendra (Congress) in Ballari by 29,300 votes.
  
• Minister Govind Karjol is trailing in Mudhol. After 8th round he got 29,913 votes whereas Congress candidate Timmappa Ramappa Balappa secured 40,103 votes.
  
• JD(S) candidate Swaroop Prakash is leading in Hassan against BJP’s sitting MLA Preetham J Gowda.
  
• In Hubli Dharwad Central Jagadish Shettar is trailing by over 10,000 votes. BJP’s Mahesh Tenginakai got 27,459 votes after 5th round whereas Shettar got 16,804 votes.
  
• BJP minister V Somanna failed in both the constituencies. He contested against Congress candidate Putttarangashetty in Chamarajanagar and fought against Siddaramaiah in Varuna. BJP minister Araga Jnanendra is leading in Thirthahalli against Congress candidate Kimmane Ratnakar.

Record turnout

The voting passed off peacefully in Karnataka with a voting turnout of 73.19 per cent, surpassing the 72.36 per cent recorded in 2018.

Significant State elections ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha Polls

This Assembly election carried much significance as it was held almost a year before the 2024 general elections. Apart from the magic figure of 113 seats out of 224 Assembly seats, here is what you need to know ahead of the counting. The counting will be held in 36 centres across the State. A clear picture of the result is likely to emerge by noon.

2018 statistics

In the 2018 assembly elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the single-largest party with 104 seats, followed by the Congress with 78 seats and the Janata Dal (Secular) with 37. This time in the 224 Assembly constituencies, a total of 2,615 candidates contested the polls.

The fiercely contested election that saw high-pitch campaigns from the political parties is crucial for both BJP and Congress. Hectic electioneering by leaders of various political parties saw BJP allowing Union Ministers and Chief Ministers to campaign with their full force.

The Congress on the other hand worked hard to wrest power from the BJP that is striving to break the 38-year-old pattern of alternating governments and retain its power in the state.

Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, held various roadshows, rallies and elections campaigns. An incumbent government has not returned to power in Karnataka after a full term of five years since 1985.