The counting of votes for the 224-member Karnataka assembly is taking place today, following a tough electoral struggle between the BJP, Congress, and JD(S). The outcome will determine the fates of several heavyweights, including BJP chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, Congress stalwarts Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy. The outcome of today’s election will be critical for the ruling BJP, the opposition Congress, and the regional outfit JD(S). A victory in the state will cement the BJP’s political dominance across the country and ensure its continued presence in southern India, where it is actively expanding its influence.
Live updates:
- 05:24 pm: PM Modi congratulates Congress on winning the elections. “Congratulations to the Congress Party for their victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls. My best wishes to them in fulfilling people’s aspirations,” he tweeted.
- 05:20 pm: DK Shivakumar reaches Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence.
- 04:48 pm:
BJP won 50 seats, leading in 14 seats
Congress won 103 seats, leading in 33 seats
JDS won 16 seats, leading in 4 seats
- 04:44 pm: Mega Congress media briefing at 6 pm in Bengaluru. DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah to hold brief.
- 04:00 pm: The Congress has a 43.2% vote share, the BJP has a 35.7% vote share and the JD(S) has a 13.3% vote share.
- 03:48 pm: Congress calls Rahul’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ behind the win.
- 03:30 pm: DK Shivakumar receives the winning certificate from the poll officer.
- 03:15 pm: DKS supporters urge the party’s high command to consider DK Shivakumar as CM.
- 03:04 pm: The Congress is leading on 138 seats, the BJP is leading on 62 seats and JD(S) is leading on 20 seats.
- 02:54 pm: Rahul Gandhi: I thank the Congress workers and people for this landslide victory. Will work on our promises.
- 02:37 pm: Bommai: Will conduct a detailed analysis. I respect people’s mandate.
- 02:36 pm: Kharge: Party high commission to decide on the CM candidate.
- 02:30 pm: The Congress is leading on 137 seats, the BJP is leading on 63 seats and JD(S) is leading on 20 seats.
- 02:26 pm: Mallikarjun Kharge holds a press conference.
- 01:40 pm: DK Shivakumar, a prominent leader of the Karnataka Congress, whose name is being discussed for the post of Chief Minister, has won the Kanakapura seat.
- 01:34 pm: Basavaraj Bommai will step down as chief minister later this evening.
- 01:22 pm: The Congress is aiming for a landslide victory with 132 seats. The BJP is leading on 66 seats and the JD(S) is leading on 22 seats.
- 12:51 pm: The Congress has called for a meeting tomorrow in Bangalore for its elected representatives.
- 12:49 pm: The Congress is leading on 129 seats, while the BJP is leading on 66 seats and the JD-S is leading on 22 seats.
- 12:06 pm: As per the latest ECI data, Congress gets 42.93% vote share, BJP gets 36.17% vote share while JDS receives 12.97% vote share.
- 11:15 am: As voting began on Saturday, the Mallikarjun Kharge-led Congress was ahead by 44.4 percent of the vote, while the BJP was at 37.4 percent.
- 11:40 am: As the Congress continues to make progress, the Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai paid a visit to the BJP camp office located in the Shiggaon constituency.
- 11:46 am: JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy leads in Channapatna, Former CM Jagadish Shettar trails in Hubli by 23,000 votes.
- 11:04am: Former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot “Congress has the majority. We will have a thumping victory. The slogan of “40% commission government” given by us, was accepted by the public. It was a major issue raised by us to defeat BJP. People accepted it and gave majority to the Congress.”
- 11:05am: Four important leaders who defected to BJP in 2019 are trailing – Dr K Sudhakar, BC Patil, Shivaram Hebbar and MTB Nagaraj.
- 10:24am: Varuna Constituency: Siddaramaiah leaves his home to the counting centre
- 11:01am: As voting began on Saturday, the Mallikarjun Kharge-led Congress was ahead by 44.4 percent of the vote, while the BJP was at 37.4 percent.
- 9:46am: Karnataka Congress workers were seen celebrating as the party leads in 82 assembly constituencies of the state.
- 9:59am: Congress ahead in official trends released by Election Commission
- 9:31am: A snake was spotted at BJP candidate Shivraj Sajjan’s residence in the Hangal constituency.
- 9:34am: As Congress leads, Siddaramaiah’s son says his father should be CM
- 9:39am: Congress leads in KR segment in Mysuru against BJP
- 9:40am: Karnataka Congress Chief DK Shivakumar leads in Kanakapura, Senior BJP Leader Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra trails in Shikaripura
- 9:24am: Priyank Kharge leads from Chittapur, with Jagadish Shettar trailing in Hubli.
- 9:25am: The BJP leads in 43 seats, the Congress in 65, the JD(S) in 15, and others in two. The BJP leads in 13 of Karnataka’s 47 urban seats, the Congress in 16, and the JD(S) in one.
- 10:16am: BJP leads by 15,000 votes in Shivamogga where party replaced veteran leader KS Eshwarappa
- 9:12am: Congress candidate Babasaheb Patil is leading in Kittur constituency against sitting BJP MLA Mahantesh Dodagoudar by 337 votes
- 9:13 am: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Congress veterans Siddaramaiah, and DK Shivakumar, and Mr Kumaraswamy- are in the fray.
- 9:15am: BJP leads in Bhatkal, Bengaluru South; Congress ahead in Chamarajanagar, Chamrajpet constituency
- 9:11am: B Y Vijayendra, son of former CM B S Yediyurappa, leads in Shikaripura
- 9:00am: Congress takes lead in 60 seats, BJP ahead in 48 seats
- 08:50 am: As per the early trends, Congress has crossed the 100-mark
