BJP Emerges Largest Party In Karnataka After Defeating Ruling Congress In Assembly Polls: Congress & JD-S Form Alliance To Form Govt

DEFYING opinion and exit polls, BJP after nine years is set to form Government in Karnataka after wresting power from the Congress in the just concluded assembly elections. Congress has conceded the people’s verdict but is trying to form a collation Government with JD-S headed by former Prime Minister H D Gowda after it was also thrown out of contention for power. Congress  has  offered  to make  H D Kumaraswamy, son of  HD Gowda, Chief Minister  and  intimated  to the Governor  even though  Congress  should sit in the opposition . JD(S) has been placed at third position in terms of seats it has won  in the 224-Member Legislative Assembly. Elections from RR Nagar and Jayanagar will be held later this month.BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidates B  S  Yeddyurappa, 75,  has been elected while Chief Minister Siddaramiah who contested from two constituencies has been elected from Badami. Election in the R.R. Nagar constituency in Bengaluru has been postponed following the seizure of over 9,000 voter ID cards. Election in Jayanagar in the city has also been countermanded following the demise of BJP candidate and sitting MLA Vijay Kumar. In the outgoing Karnataka  Assembly, Congress had 122 seats, the BJP and JD(S) 40 each and independents and smaller parties 22.The Congress hoped to re-elected by beating the general anti-incumbency factor.But there is no precedence that a party has come back a second term in nearly 30 years in the State . The Congress fared poorly in all eight regions of the state. Political analysts opine that BJP has improved vote and seat share since 2013. The Prime Minister’s commitment to waive farm loans have gone down well with farmers as the party did well in the rural belt. BJP  has performed well both in rural and urban areas in the coastal , central and Mumbai Karnataka belts .The JD(S) retained the Vokkaliga dominated  Mysuru region . CM Siddaramiah was defeated in his own turf by G.T Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal-Secular in Chamundeshwari, Election Commission officials said.  Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar said that the numbers indicated that his party was on the way out after five years in power. Any party or grouping will need 113 of the total 224 seats to secure a majority in the Assembly. Polling did not take place in two constituencies on Saturday.  BJP activists and leaders celebrated their party’s victory in Bengaluru and New Delhi, waving party flags and shouting slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their main vote-getter, and party President Amit Shah. There were also celebrations outside the residence of Yeddyurappa, who had headed the southern state’s  first BJP government .The Janata Dal-Secular headed by  former Prime Minister H.D. Dewe Gowda  is not  expected more than  40 seats  the same number it won five years ago. As the vote count progressed, BJP leaders became assertive, saying they were confident of taking power again in Karnataka while Congress leaders began to speak about the possibility of an alliance with the JD-S.BJP leader and Union Minister Sadanand Gowda said that there was no question of any alliance. Union HRDV Minister Prakash Javadekar, who is in charge of Karnataka, met BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi. Analysts said the BJP was leading in Lingayat dominated seats, Central Karnataka and the JD-S in Vokkaliga dominated areas. Expectations of a BJP victory in Karnataka lifted the key Indian equity indices during the mid-morning trade session on Tuesday. According to market observers, broadly subdued Asian indices and disappointing macro-economic inflation data points released on Monday capped some gains. Sector-wise, healthy buying was witnessed in banking, capital goods, metals, consumer durables and automobile stocks. The Sensex has so far touched a high of 35,993.53 points and a low of 35,498.83 points during the intra-day trade.(inputs & Image courtesy : The Indian Express )