Karnataka urban local body election 2018 LIVE: The Congress and JD (S) did not rule out on forming a post-poll alliance to keep the BJP out of power. (Source: ANI)
Karnataka urban local body election 2018 LIVE: Counting is underway for the 105 urban local bodies (ULB) across Karnataka that went to polls on August 31. The polls registered a record turnout of 68 per cent for elections to the 2,709 civic wards spanning 29 city municipalities, 53 town municipalities, 23 town panchayats and 135 wards at Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru city corporations.
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 in the urban local body elections. The Congress and JD (S) did not rule out on forming a post-poll alliance to keep the BJP out of power. “In the event of either party not getting majority on its own in the ULB elections, we will have post-poll alliance to rule the local bodies as we did to form the coalition government in the state after the May 12 assembly election threw a hung House with a split verdict,” a JD(S) official told IANS on Saturday.
In the 2013 urban local bodies elections held in 4,976 seats, the Congress had won 1,960 seats, while the BJP and the JD-S had won 905 seats each, and Independents had bagged the remaining 1,206 seats.
Pinning the blame on Congress-JD(S) coalition, BJP state unit President BS Yeddyurappa said, "The BJP should have won more seats but we could not perform the way we wanted to because of the Congress-JD-S coalition." The party, however, is confident of winning a majority in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, he said. "People's mandate is with the BJP and we are confident of a majority in the next year's general election," he added.
Reacting to the results, JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda said, "We have succeeded. JD(S) and Congress will work together to keep BJP at a distance."
Counting of votes is over and the final results have been declared: Congress has won the ULB polls with 982 seats.
The BJP had ended up as the single largest party in the assembly polls but had failed to muster numbers to form the government, which paved the way for the Congress and JD(S) to stitch an alliance and take over the reins of administration.
These elections were considered a popular test of the Congress-JD(S)coalition government which was formed post-May assembly polls which had yielded a hung verdict and also was an indicative of the voters' mood before the Lok Sabha elections.
Both the Congress and the JD(S) contested the polls separately despite being partners in the state government, but they have already declared that they would tie up post-election in urban bodies.
In all, 8,340 candidates, including 2,306 from the Congress, 2,203 from the BJP and 1,397 from the JD(S) are in the fray for the ULBs, while 814 contested from the city corporations, including 135 from Congress, 130 from BJP and 129 from JD(S).
Meanwhile, in Tumkur, eight people have been injured in an acid attack on a victory procession of Congress candidate Inayatullah Khan, ANI reported. More details awaited.
Counting for the City Corporations has ended. While the BJP has bagged 54 seats, Congress has won 36 seats.
Congress- 982, BJP- 929, JDS-375, Independents-329
Congress is not lagging behind. Neck-to-neck fight is there & if you combine secular votes, they are the most. These elections are based on minor issues & local candidates & these results don't hold much significance: Mallikarjun Kharge on Karnataka urban local body polls results pic.twitter.com/5wXys8efmm— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2018
Summary of Town Panchayat results so far
Total seats- 400
Results declared on- 355
INC-138
BJP- 130
Independents-57
JD(S)-29
The BJP only managed to win eight seats in Kuditini and Kottur respectively. A total of three independents also won from Kottur.
So far results of seats out of 135 seats for City Corporations of Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumkuru have been announced. The BJP leads with win at 31 seats, followed by Congress (20) and JDS (19)
In a close contest, the Congress party managed to secure win in 57 seats, closely followed by the BJP at 54. The JD(s) won 2 seats, while the Independents won 10 seats across the district.
BJP- 42, Congress 30, JD(S) 4, Independents 2, Others 11
In a total of 2709 seats across Karnataka, Independent candidates have secured a win in 233 seats.
In the Belgavi district, a total of 92 seats out of 200 are won by Independent candidates.
Results have been announced only for 2 seats out of 35 in Shivamogga, each won by INC and BJP respectively.
Results of 1822 out of 2709 have been announced. Congress leads with win on 696, closely followed by the BJP that has secured win in 645 seats.
The JDS has won 236 seats.
So far results of 12 seats out of 135 seats for City Corporations of Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumkuru have been announced. The Congress party leads with 7 seats, followed by BJP (2) and Independents (2)
JD(S) leads (25) in the Mysuru district closely followed by Congress (24). So far results in 61 seats out of 134 seats in Mysuru districts have been announced.
Out of 343 seats in Belagavi, results for 112 seats have been declared so far. Independent candidates are in the lead with securing win in 50 seats, While BJP has won 50 and INC 18 seats.
Total seats: 85
(Results declared for 80 seats)
INC: 34
BJP: 33
JD(S):11