Bangalore: The BJP was today decimated in the Karnataka Assembly elections with Congress set to form a government, may be on its own, wresting power after a gap of seven years.
The BJP's southern fort where it came to power for the first time in 2008 crumbled and the party may be pushed to the third position behind JD(S).
Exploiting the split in BJP and the spoiler's role played by former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, the Congress was ahead in 119 of the 223 constituencies that went to polls and has won 10 seats.
The JD(S) led by H D Deve Gowda won two seats and was ahead in 41 seats while the BJP bagged one and is leading in 34 seats.
The fledgling Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) floated by Yeddyurappa after his exit from BJP was leading only in more than ten seats while independents and others were ahead in 18 seats.
In the elections five years ago when BJP stormed to power for the first time in a southern state on its own, the party had won 110 seats against Congress' 80 and BJP's 28.
In the 224-member house, 113 seats would be required for majority. Polling was held in 223 segments, with the one in Periyapatna in Mysore district put off to May 28 following
death of BJP candidate.
Significantly, KJP has damaged the prospects of the BJP in many constituencies, eating into its votes.
The Congress appeared set to for a clean sweep in the coastal Dakshina Kannada district, a traditional BJP stronghold.
But it was the JDS of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda which was the surprise package of the polls, faring better than expected.
In Central Karnataka, the bastion of KJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, Congress appears to have benefitted due to the vote split caused by the divorce between Yeddyurappa and the BJP.
The vote split between KJP and BJP has impacted both the parties.
In Southern Karnataka, the JD(S) gave a tough fight to the Congress which has emerged as the single largest party in the vote count.
This is the region where Congress lost the most.
In Bangalore too, Deve Gowda's JD(S) gave Congress a run for its money. The national party made small gains here and bagged under 50% of the seats. The JD(S), on the other hand, gained significantly.
It was in Mumbai Karnataka where Congress performed the best, also due to the fact that Yeddyurappa had the maximum impact on the prospects of the BJP here.
The Congress also increased its vote share in the northern region of Hyderabad Karnataka.
In the western and coastal regions, Congress wrested most of the seats BJP had won last time.
Reactions:
• I am very happy with the results. It is the outcome of our joint efforts: Sonia Gandhi.
• He (Rahul) took a leading role in the campaigning and worked hard. I congratulate the Congress workers of Karnataka: PM
• Congress victory in Karnataka is rejection of BJP's ideology, says Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
• We will give a stable government in Karnataka, a lot needs to be done in Karnataka: P Chidambaram
• BJP Parliamentary Board meeting today evening - Narendra Modi won’t attend
• Winning with an absolute majority is a matter of pride for us: Sheila Dikshit, Delhi CM
• Yeddyurappa leaving the party has caused BJP a major loss: MG Vaidya, RSS
• A win of Congress' policies & defeat of Opposition's policies & behaviour: Janardan Dwivedi
• If they are so confident then let them order General Elections: Venkaiah Naidu,BJP on Kapil Sibal's statement.
• We are winning because people have seen through and rejected the BJP: Abhishek Manusighvi, Congress.
• The match is over, a loss for BJP with an innings defeat: Kamal Nath
• We will sit in the Opposition, says JDS's HD Kumaraswamy
• This will have an impact on the 2014 General Elections & we will win it too: Rajeev Shukla.
• Looks like even in the General Elections they (BJP) will be in the number 3 position: Kapil Sibal
• Celebrations outside Congress party office in Delhi after party is seen gaining major leads in Karnataka.
• Our Congress high command will decide who will be CM: Mallikarjuna
• We will wait for the results to come in.Hope the people of Karnataka will bless Congress with its votes: Manish Tewari
• We aren't surprised of the latest election trends in Karnataka: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP
• I have full confidence that Karnataka’s public will give us full support and Congress will form the government: Harish Rawat.
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