Mysuru/ Bengaluru: Six hours after counting of votes in Electronic Voting Machines started for 222 of 224 Assembly seats, it is now clear that the BJP has emerged as the largest party. But it appears to be falling short of a few seats to reach the halfway mark.
Latest reports from Bengaluru say that senior Congress leaders have already spoken to JD(S) leaders to form a coalition government. Sources said the Congress has offered the Chief Minister’s post to JD(S) State President H.D. Kumaraswamy and prevent BJP from coming to power.
At 2.15 pm, the Election Commission website announced that the BJP had won 36 seats and was leading in 70 seats, taking the total to 106 seats. Congress had won 9 seats and was leading in 65 seats, taking the total to 74 seats, JD(S) had won 4 seats and was leading in 35 seats, taking the total to 39 seats.
Karnataka Prajnavantha Janata Party has won one seat and an independent candidate was leading in another seat. The majority mark is 112.
If the BJP manages to form a government in Karnataka, it will cement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity ahead of the General Elections next year.
The BJP will rule 21 of the 29 States after wresting another major State from the Congress, which has now been reduced to “PPP” or “Punjab, Puducherry or Parivar” – as PM Modi had jibed while campaigning in Karnataka.
Janata Dal Secular of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has performed better than expected and will get to play a kingmaker. Karnataka, home to India’s Silicon Valley capital of Bengaluru, is the first big State electing an Assembly this year and will be followed by three more – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Voting, which took place on May 12, saw the State’s highest voter turnout (72.13 per cent) since the 1952 Assembly elections. Counting of votes was held across 38 centres in 33 districts this morning.
Celebrations erupted outside the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru, with supporters shouting victory slogans and waving the party’s flag as the results trickled in. BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa’s house in Dollars Colony is beaming with party workers and supporters.
Yeddyurappa, who is yet to make a public appearance, is said to be meeting with his close supporters and workers reaching his house from across the region. Sources said that he is still closely monitoring the results and discussions have already begun on his swearing-in and possible makeup of his Cabinet.
MP Shobha Karandlaje told reporters that the mandate was clearly against the divisive politics of Congress and the arrogance of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.
Reports said that Siddharamaiah will submit his resignation to Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala this evening.
The result is a setback for Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has failed yet again to take his party to victory. After the Karnataka election results, it will be difficult for Rahul Gandhi to claim leadership in any opposition alliance against the BJP in 2019.
CHAMUNDESHWARI
Incumbent MLA G.T. Devegowda emerged a clear winner in Chamundeshwari where he was way ahead of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah. Considered as a battle of prestige, Chamundeshwari witnessed high-voltage campaign and all eyes were on this seat. As the stakes are high, Siddharamaiah had to choose Badami seat in Bagalkot as the second seat where he is now headed for victory against B. Sriramulu of the BJP who also contested in Monakalmooru and is headed for victory.
As soon as the counting began at 8 am and by the time the first round results were out, Devegowda had established his lead and in even till the last round, he maintained the lead against his one-time friend Siddharamaiah. Devegowda, who started with 6,879 votes (Siddharamaiah 3,527), rose to 1,15,081 votes in 18th Round at 2.15 pm while Chief Minister Siddharamaiah had got 80,570 votes.
In Chamundeshwari, S.R. Gopal Rao of the BJP polled 11,762 votes. Interestingly, 1,500 NOTA (None Of The Above) votes were recorded.
KRISHNARAJA
In Krishnaraja constituency, former Minister and BJP candidate S.A. Ramdas maintained a steady lead against his rival M.K. Somashekar of the Congress who is an incumbent MLA. At 2.15 pm, Ramdas had secured 49,597 votes and Somashekar 33,965 votes. K.V. Mallesh of the JD(S) had secured 7,983 votes. There were 19 candidates in Krishnaraja constituency and the Election Commission had to use two Electronic Voting Machines in each of the booths. In all, 959 NOTA votes were polled.
CHAMARAJA
In the prestigious Chamaraja constituency where a large number of educated population resides, incumbent MLA Vasu of the Congress was set to lose the elections against his rival L. Nagendra of the BJP. At 2.15 pm, Nagendra had polled 51,683 votes and Vasu polled 36,747 votes. JD(S) candidate Prof. K.S. Rangappa stood third with 27,284 votes and Independent candidate K. Harish Gowda got 21,282 votes. In all, 1,561 NOTA votes were polled.
NARASIMHARAJA
Narasimharaja constituency witnessed a keen battle between incumbent MLA Tanveer Sait of Congress, Sandesh Swamy of the BJP and Abdul Majeed of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). At 2.15 pm, Sait had polled 62,268 votes, Sandesh Swamy polled 44,141 votes and Abdul Majeed secured 33,284 votes. 1,206 voters had opted for NOTA.
CHAMARAJANAGAR
Congress won two seats (Chamarajanagar and Hanur), while BSP in coalition with JD(S) has bagged its lone seat in Kollegal (SC) and BJP has won a seat in Gundlupet.
The victorious candidates are C. Puttarangashetty (Cong) – Chamarajanagar; R. Narendra (Cong) – Hanur; N. Mahesh (BSP) – Kollegal (SC) and C.S. Niranjan Kumar (BJP) – Gundlupet.
MANDYA
The JD(S) swept the district by winning all seven Assembly segments. The winners are Suresh Gowda – Nagamangala; D.C. Thammanna – Maddur; Ravindra Srikantaiah – Srirangapatna; C.S. Puttaraju – Melukote; Annadani – Malavalli (SC); K.C. Narayanagowda – K.R. Pet and M. Srinivas – Mandya.
KODAGU
The BJP bagged both the seats in the two Assembly segments of Kodagu. While K.G. Bopaiah won from Virajpet, Appachhu Ranjan won from Madikeri.
HASSAN
The JD(S) has bagged six of the seven seats in the district winning in Sakleshpur (SC), Belur, Holenarsipur, Shravanabelagola, Arkalgud and Arasikere. The BJP bagged the lone seat in Hassan.
The JD(S) winners are H.D. Revanna – Holenarsipur; Lingesh – Belur; H.K. Kumaraswamy – Sakleshpur; C.N. Balakrishna – Shravanabelagola; A.T. Ramaswamy – Arkalgud and Shivalingegowda – Arasikere. Preetham Gowda of BJP won from Hassan.
Prominent winners
- Siddharamaiah (Cong) – Badami
- R.V. Deshpande (Cong) – Haliyal
- U.T. Khader (Cong) – Mangaluru
- K.J. George (Cong) – Sarvajnanagar
- Roshan Baig (Cong) – Shivajinagar
- Ramesh Kumar (Cong) – Srinivasapura
- Ramalinga Reddy – (Cong), BTM Layout
- Eshwar Khandre (Cong) – Bhalki
- M.B. Patil (Cong) – Babaleshwar
- H.D. Kumaraswamy – (JD-S), Channapatna and Ramanagaram
- B. Sriramulu (BJP) – Molakalmuru
- B.S. Yeddyurappa – (BJP), Shikaripura
- K.S. Eshwarappa -(BJP), Shivamogga
- G.T. Devegowda – (JD-S), Chamundeshwari
- Zameer Ahmed Khan -(Cong), Chamarajpet
- K.G. Bopaiah (BJP) – Virajpet
- Appachhu Ranjan – (BJP), Madikeri
- A.H. Vishwanath – (JD-S), Hunsur
Prominent LOSERS
- Umashree (Cong) – Terdal
- Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa -(Cong), T. Narsipur
- H. Anjaneya (Cong) – Holalkere
- Vinay Kulkarni (Cong) – Dharwad
- A. Manju (Cong) – Arkalgud
- Pramod Madhwaraj – (Cong), Udupi
- T.B. Jayachandra – (Cong), Sira
- Dr. Geetha Mahadevaprasad- (Cong), Gundlupet
- S.S. Mallikarjun (Cong) – Davangere North
- Prof. Mallikarjunappa – (BJP), Chamarajanagar
- C.P. Yogeshwar (BJP) – Channapatna
- Madhu Bangarappa – (JD-S), Soraba
- Ashok Kheny (Cong) – Bidar South
- Ramanath Rai (Cong) – Bantwal
- K.B. Koliwad (Cong) – Ranebennur
- Vatal Nagaraj – (Vatal Paksha) – Chamarajanagar
Ironically the Congress party immersed in gloom after miserably failing to retain political power in Karnataka has committed a serious blunder in surrendering to fulfil H.D.Kumaraswamy’s dream of becoming the Chief Minister again despite having been rejected and relegated to the third position with only 38 seats. The suicidal move will not only further contribute towards a Congressmukth Bharat but also will mean that Rahul Gandhi’s wishful thinking on becoming a Prime Minister after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls remains a pipe dream.