Karnataka civic polls: Congress single largest party, BJP close second

BENGLALURU: The Congress has won 982 seats in municipal polls held for 105

urban local bodies

(ULBs), followed closely by the BJP with the ruling JD(S) relegated to the third position in the counting of votes held so far on Monday.


Of the total 2,709 seats for which results have been declared in 2,662 seats—- the Congress bagged 982, BJP 929, JD(S) 375, BSP 13, Independents 329 and others 32. The BJP has performed well in Mysuru and Shivamogga city corporations emerging as the single largest party in the region. While the Conngress-JD(S) will forge an alliance to wrest the Mysuru city corporation council from the BJP, in Shivamogga, bastion of state BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa, the party is in a position to form the council on its own.

Expressing his disappointment at the party’s performance, Yeddyurappa said the BJP had performed "below expectation". Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda reacting to the results said that the Congress and his party will form an alliance where they fall short of numbers. This was also the decision taken at the coordination committee meeting headed by former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

However, the JD(S) has made a clean sweep of Mandya district and bagged majority of the seats in Hassan, which is the home turf of Gowda and his son, minister HD Revanna.

The ULB polls were held on August 31 registering a polling percentage of 68%. A total of 8,340 candidates, including 2,306 from the Congress, 2,203 from the BJP and 1,397 from the JD(S) contested.