The Congress is romping home to a decisive victory in what was a high-stakes election for all parties ahead of the 2024 parliamentary polls. The party cruised past 120 seats by noon prompting Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to concede defeat, saying his party had not been able to make the mark and would conduct a detailed analysis once the full results were in.
As Congress workers and supporters take to the streets to celebrate the party’s most comfortable win since 1999, here are the top 10 developments from the Karnataka Assembly Elections results:
Top Developments
- The Congress is striding forward with wins in 114 seats and leads in 22 seats. Roughly 92.1% of the votes have been counted according to the ECI website. The Congress’ vote share is 43.1%, the second highest in the last 40 years in Karnataka.
- India’s grand old party registered its strongest performance in rural and semi-rural constituencies — a whopping 89 of the 143 seats. The Congress’ overall vote share has gone up to 44% in semi-rural and rural constituencies compared to the BJP’s 29.1% and 36.6% shares.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has announced that the party’s five poll guarantees, promised in its manifesto, will be fulfilled soon.
- While the BJP maintained its grip over coastal Karnataka, the Congress swept the North, Central and South Karnataka managing to breach the Lingayat stronghold of the BJP in these regions.
- Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai tasted victory in his home turf of Shiggaon. However, several other sitting MLAs and Ministers in the BJP’s incumbent Karnataka Cabinet did not fare well, losing the elections to Congress candidates. This includes Housing Minister V. Somanna in both Varuna and Chamarajanagar, Transport Minister B. Sriramulu in Ballari Rural, Revenue Minister R. Ashoka in Kanakapura, Education Minister B.C. Nagesh in Tiptur and BJP General Secretary C.T. Ravi in Chikkamagaluru.
- Veteran Congress leaders former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president D. K. Shivakumar, former KPCC president G. Parameshwara, the State’s oldest legislator 91-year-old Shamanur Shivashakarappa, K. H. Muniyappa, and R. V. Deshpande are all set to emerge victorious.
- This election was witness to two high-profile turncoats: Jagadish Shettar and Laxman Savadi. The two BJP leaders switched camps to the Congress after being denied ticket by the BJP. While Mr. Shettar has suffered a humiliating defeat against BJP’s Mahesh Tenginakai, Mr. Savadi has re-established control over his bastion in Athani against Mahesh Kumathalli.
- The BJP candidate from Sullia Assembly constituency in Dakshina Kannada, Bhagirathi Murulya, who brought the seventh consecutive victory for her party in the seat becomes the first Dalit woman from coastal Karnataka to enter the Legislative Assembly.
- Mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy has won from Gangavati in Koppal district. After the saffron party denied him ticket, the former BJP leader had floated his own party, Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha, pledging that he would fight the 2023 Assembly elections.
- A father-son duo have won from different constituences. A. Manju of the JD(S) has been elected from Arakalgud constituency in Hassan district. His son and Congress candidate Dr. Mantar Gowda has won from Madikeri constituency in Kodagu district.
