Congress has won a comfortable majority in the Karnataka assemble elections as it has won 121 of the 224 assembly seats, according to the Election Commission (EC) figures updated on 5:30 pm. Additionally, Congress is leading in 15 more seats.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has conceded defeat for the party. Of the 224 seats, the BJP won 56 seats, as per the EC data on 5:30 pm. It's leading on eight other seats. At the same tine, the Janata Dal (Secular) had won 18 seats and was leading on two seats.
The Congress had a vote share of 43.4 per cent, while the BJP trailed with 35.88 per cent. The JD(S) stood at a distant third with 13.31 per cent.
Outgoing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai won, as did Congress' Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy was leading from Channapatna, as per latest EC data.
The counting is being held in 36 centres across the state amid elaborate security arrangements in place, especially in and around the counting centres to avoid any untoward incidents, official sources said. Postal ballots are being counted first.
Karnataka Congress Chief D K Shivakumar is among the two Congress leaders expected to be the new Chief Minister of Karnataka. The second leader being Siddaramaiah.
Shivakumar has been elected thrice from Kanakapura since 2008. He had earlier won four consecutive elections since 1989 from the nearby Sathanur till he shifted to the Kanakapura in 2008, after that constituency ceased to exist as the result of a delimitation exercise.
