Hours after the counting began for Karnataka’s 222 assembly constituencies, the BJP and the Congress-JDS combine intensified their efforts to form the government in the state. This was after no single party could secure the majority. The BJP got 104 seats, while the Congress secured 78 seats and the JDS-BSP alliance got 38 seats. Moments after the results were announced, the Congress announced that the two independent MLAs had joined them, taking its tally to 80.
112 seats are required to secure a full majority in the 224-seat Karnataka assembly. Voting for these seats had taken place on 12 May.
The BJP’s win today would have meant that the Congress would have been left with governments in just two states, Punjab and Puducherry. A win by the Congress today would have lifted the depleted morale of its workers across the country and enable the party to prepare for the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh with improved vigour.
A record 72.13 percent polling had taken place in Karnataka on 12 May despite several areas in north Karnataka suffering from heat wave. The exit polls have given confusing predictions with some giving the Congress an absolute majority while others predicting in favour of the saffron party.
Polling was held in 222 segments of the 224-member legislative assembly, as election to Bengaluru’s Raja Rajeshwari (RR) Nagar had been postponed to 28 May in the voter cards case and countermanded in Jayanagar segment due to the death of BJP contestant B.N. Vijaya Kumar on 4 May here.
Here are the LIVE Updates:-
- HD Kumaraswamy arrives at Raj Bhawan to meet Governor to stake his claim to form government
- BS Yeddyurappa stakes claim to form the government during meeting with Governor
- BS Yeddyurappa goes to meet Governor to stake claim to form government as the leader of the single largest party
- BREAKING: JDS leaders going to meet Governor to stake claim to form the government
- JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan and Prakash Javdekar are travelling to Bengaluru
- Karnataka governor, who had once vacated his seat for PM Modi, refuses to meet Congress delegation
- BJP is leading or has won 104, Congress 77 and JDS on 37 seats. Congress has announced support to JDS
- BREAKING: JDS accepts Congress’s invitation to lead the coalition government
- BREAKING: Siddaramaiah to meet Karnataka governor at 4 PM, reports ANI. Kumaraswamy is meeting his father HD Deve Gowda
- BJP’s tally comes down to 106, Congress with 74 leads reportedly starts negotiations with JDS, which has 40 seats. 112 seats required to form government
- Breaking: Congress confirms alliance with JDS. Says they will meet governor tonight
- Rahul bhai is a leader in the ascent. 2019 will be a different ball game. The alliances are coming with him. Sidhu unke (Rahul Gandhi) saath khada rahega, jab tak mere andar lahu hai: Navjot Singh Sidhu, on #KarnatakaVerdict (ANI)
- Karnataka verdict a victory for EVM: Raj Thackeray
- According to EC, BJP 112, Congress 57, JDS+ 38
- According to EC, BJP 103, Congress 54, JDS+ 38
- According to EC, BJP 67, Congress 42, JDS+ 31
- According to EC, Tight fight between BJP and Congress with 41.6% and 40.1% vote share respectively
- According to trends, BJP 85, Congress 76, JDS+ 28
- According to trends, BJP 71, Congress 66, JDS+ 23
- Counting of votes for Karnataka Elections 2018 begins, postal ballots to be counted first.
