The Congress has wrested Karnataka from BJP by winning 137 seats - well past the halfway mark in the 224-member assembly. With today's results, the BJP lost its only bastion in the south. "After 35 years, we got such a thumping majority, which we should always remember," said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on the party's big victory in Karnataka.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated the Congress for its win and wished the party best in its endeavour to fulfilling people's aspirations.
"I thank all those who have supported us in the Karnataka elections. I appreciate the hardwork of BJP Karyakartas. We shall serve Karnataka with even more vigour in the times to come," he said in another tweet.
Congress's Rahul Gandhi congratulated the people of Karnataka and told the cheering party workers at the Congress office in New Delhi: "The market of hate has been shut, and shops of love have opened," he told
All the focus now will be on who the Congress pick as their Chief Ministerial candidate with both state chief DK Shivakumar and senior leader Siddaramaiah eyeing the spot. Today, Mr Shivakumar broke down and spoke about delivering on a promise to the Gandhis. He also said he had not slept for three years, ever since he made the promise.
Here are the highlights on the Election Results:
The stepping down of BS Yediyurappa as the Chief Minister cost the BJP dear in the Karnataka assembly election in terms of Lingayat vote.
Counting of votes is over on all seats in Karnataka. Congress has won 137 seats in he 224-member Karnataka assembly, while BJP won 65.
"Ego doesn't stay for long. It's a democracy and we'll have to listen to people and bow our heads before the people who show us the right path. It's not a victory of anyone, it's a victory of the people of the state. They decided and chose. That's why we got 136 seats - huge after 36 years," says Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge.
"We started from Mekedatu (padayatra). Then came the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir. We have won almost 99% of the seats in the route in which Rahul Gandhi walked. I thank him for that,": Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking after the party's emphatic win in Karnataka, said that the party will deliver on all its promises. "BJP leaders came from across the country, but the result was what the people of Karnataka wanted," he said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with state chief DK Shivakumar and senior party leader Siddaramaiah is addressing a press conference. The party is expected to make an announcement related to their Chief Minister pick.
Four-time Karnataka BJP MLA and the party's national general secretary CT Ravi is losing by over 7,500 votes in Chikmagalur to the Congress's HD Thammaiah, the Election Commission's website shows. Counting on this seat is still going on.
"What this victory proves is that Congress has a basic organisation and it can be rejuvenated at election time": P Chidambaram to NDTV.
"They (BJP) treated the election as a referendum for their so-called double engine government. We are doubly happy that Congress defeated BJP," Congress leader P Chidambaram tells NDTV.
The BJP's last-minute move to consolidate its Lingayat support base did not pay off and the Congress made huge gains in the seats dominated by the influential community, trends in the counting of votes indicate.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, state Congress President DK Shivakumar, and former Union Minister KH Muniyappa are among the key leaders who have been declared victorious by the Election Commission in the Karnataka Assembly polls for which counting of votes was taken up on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the Congress party for its win in the Karnataka assembly election. He also thanked BJP workers for working hard on the party's campaign.
"This is the beginning of the end for BJP before 2024 Lok Sabha polls," said Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Karnataka election results.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra congratulated Karnataka chief minister hopefuls, DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah for Karnataka results.
Karnataka BJP strongman and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa today said the Assembly election results will have no bearing on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge on Saturday won from the Chittapur constituency in Karnataka by a margin of 13,638 votes, recording his third consecutive victory from the seat.
Priyank Kharge bagged 81,088 votes against 67,450 polled by his BJP rival Manikanta Rathod. Aam Admi Party candidate Jagadish S Sagar was in third place with 962 votes.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai won the Shiggaon assembly seat. But he will lose the top job as Congress registered a comprehensive victory today.
After registering a thumping victory in Karnataka elections, Congress will hold a key meeting at party president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence. The party is yet to announce its Chief Ministerial pick for the state.
Hailing the Bharat Jodo Yatra's role for its success in the Karnataka assembly polls, the Congress today said in the clash of narratives between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the yatra, the cross-country foot march is a "clear winner".
Opposition leaders on Saturday lauded the Congress for its victory in Karnataka and thanked the people of the state, saying that this win has showed that "Modi is not invincible".
"Pro-poor promises and secular stance helped Congress to score the historic Karnataka victory. It urges them to learn necessary lessons and to be more responsible in national politics. Modi is never invincible. If all secular forces are united, 2024 will see the end of BJP Raj," said Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Binoy Viswam.
Congress's Rahul Gandhi congratulated the people of Karnataka, where his party looks set to form the next government with a massive victory.
"Shops of hatred have shut, shops of love have opened in Karnataka. We made five promises - we will fulfil them in the first cabinet meeting," Rahul Gandhi said as Congress got on track to register a massive victory in Karnataka.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi congratulates the people of Karnataka after the party gets a clear mandate in the state assembly polls. "We fought for the issues of the poor. I thank the party workers who worked hard for this victory. I thank the people of the state from the bottom of my heart," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
In the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections, BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats. The Congress had 80 seats and JD-S 37. There was also one independent member, while the BSP and Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party (KPJP) had one seat each.
With no party getting a clear majority, the Congress and JD-S tried to forge an alliance. BJP's B S Yediyurappa staked claim and formed the government. However, it was dissolved within three days, ahead of a trust vote, as the BJP strongman was unable to muster the numbers.
Subsequently, the Congress and JD-S alliance formed the government with Kumaraswamy as chief minister. But the wobbly dispensation collapsed in 14 months, triggered by the resignation of 17 ruling coalition legislators who then defected to the BJP.
This enabled the BJP's return to power.
The Congress is set for a comfortable win in Karnataka but the poor show of a closely-watched heavyweight stands apart in this stellar performance by the Opposition party. Jagadish Shettar, a former Chief Minister, has been a talking point ever since he switched over from the BJP to the Congress in the run-up to the elections.
A prominent Lingayat leader, Mr Shettar is currently trailing to the BJP's Mahesh Tenginakai by over 35,000 votes in the Hubli-Dharwad Central assembly segment.
The Congress is on track for a thumping victory in Karnataka, which will dislodge rival BJP from its lone southern citadel. The Congress are currently leading on 135 seats, while the BJP is ahead on 64.
With a strong showing by the Congress in the Karnataka assembly polls, senior party leader P Chidambaram on Saturday congratulated the state's people for a "decisive verdict" and said they stood up to the "money and muscle power of the so-called double engine government" of the BJP.
"Warm congratulations and sincere thanks to the people of Karnataka for delivering a decisive verdict. This election was more than an election to a state assembly. It was about upholding the fundamental values of the Indian Constitution and stopping the damage done by supremacist theories, discrimination and prejudice," Mr Chidamabram said on Twitter.
In the Congress's victory celebrations in Karnataka, the only dampener could be the looming Siddaramaiah versus DK Shivakumar tussle for the chief minister's job.
"We may cross 130 also. It's a big victory. People were fed up of the BJP government," Congress leader Siddaramaiah says.
"I had assured the Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge that I will deliver Karnataka," Congress state chief DK Shivakumar says as the party closes in on a win in Karnataka.
Congress Karnataka chief DK Shivakumar says that the party was always confident of a victory in the assembly elections. The party has already raced ahead on 130 seats, far beyond the majority mark of 113.
"Despite the best efforts by PM Modi and cadres, we were not able to make a mark. As a national party, we will not only analyse but also see what deficiencies and gaps were left at various levels. We take this result in our stride," Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said as Congress raced ahead on 130 seats in Karnataka.
Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai conceded defeat after Congress crossed the majority mark in trends. "We have not been able to cross the mark. Once the results out, we will do a detailed analysis. We will find out the gaps and deficiencies, and we will reorganise the party and come back for the Lok Sabha elections," Mr Bommai said.
Hours into the counting of votes for Karnataka assembly election, the Janata Dal (Secular), which was being seen as a possible kingmaker in the event of a hung verdict, appears to have taken a big hit in its vote share.
Trends for all the 224 seats in the state are in, with the Congress clearly ahead of archrival BJP. At 120 seats, the Congress is a notch ahead of the magic number of 113, while the BJP is ahead on 73 seats. The Janata Dal-S (JD-S) is leading in 25 seats.
Congress's former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah exuded confidence that the party will form a government in Karnata under its own steam as the party shot across the halfway mark by mid-morning.
Celebrations started in the Congress headquarters at Delhi as the party shot past the halfway mark in Karnataka by mid-morning leads today.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (BJP) is leading from his seat as are former chief ministers HD Kumaraswamy (JDS) and Siddaramaiah (Congress).
The Congress has asked all its MLAs to reach Bengaluru as leads placed it across the halfway mark. Congress's Siddaramaiah said he is sure of the party crossing the 120 mark. There are reports that the party has booked several resorts to keep its flock together. It prompted a jibe from the BJP, which said the Congress "doesn't trust its MLAs".
Congress seems to be on course to breach rival BJP's lone southern citadel Karnataka, racing ahead towards the magic 113 figure to form a government on its own. Buoyed by the initial trends, Congress said the message given to the BJP was to stick to public issues that matter, even as the saffron party expressed hope of securing the simple majority mark of 113.
The Congress, within touching distance of victory in Karnataka, started ringfencing its MLAs as it crossed the halfway mark in leads today.
Congress touched the majority mark of 113 seats in early trends in counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly polls. Congress is currently leading in 115 seats while the BJP is ahead in 79.
Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge is leading in Chittapur against BJP's Manikanta Rathod by 2, 493 votes.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen at a temple in Shimla this morning, as votes are being counted in Karnataka.
Congress candidate Jagdish Shettar is trailing in the Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly. Mr Shettar, a former chief minister, recently joined Congress after being denied a ticket from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He belongs to the Lingayat community which is believed to have a crucial impact on electoral outcomes in the state.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (BJP) is leading in the Shiggaon constituency, according to early trends. He is up against Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan.
Congress leader and son of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Yathindra Siddaramiah expressed confidence that the party will get an absolute majority and will come to power on its own. He also said for the interest of Karnataka his father should become the chief minister.
"We will do anything to keep BJP out of power... In the interest of Karnataka, my father should become the chief minister," Yathindra Siddaramaiah said while speaking to ANI.
As per early trends, the Congress is leading on 113 seats, while the BJP is ahead on 85. The Congress is hoping for an anti-incumbency wave that will help them dethrone the BJP government in the state.
Incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai has said he is confident of a BJP victory. "We are confident that we will win and cross the magic number. We have got the ground report from all the booths and the constituencies," he said.
In very early leads, the Congress is leading on 86 seats, while the ruling BJP is ahead on 70.
Many pollsters have said the JD-S could emerge as a "kingmaker" or a "king" by holding the key to government formation.
The postal votes are being counted now. As per the early trends, the BJP and Congress are ahead on 31 seats each. The JD-S, which will assume a key role in case of a hung assembly, is leading on 12 seats.
The Congress, believing in the very same jinx that the BJP wants to break, is hoping for a morale-booster to give it the much-needed plank on which it will position itself as the main opposition party ahead of the national election next year.
According to the early trends, BJP and Congress are both ahead on 2 seats each. A party needs to win 113 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly to form the government.
Whether the BJP beats anti-incumbency in Karnataka, the Congress scores a rare state victory or the Janata Dal (Secular) throws in a surprise will be known today as votes are counted today.
Congress Karnataka chief DK Shivakumar has dismissed the exit poll results in which the party, though it gains the highest number of seats, has to contend with a hung Assembly. He insisted that the party will win at least 141 seats and form a majority government.
A day before the Karnataka election results, the Congress denied reaching out to HD Kumaraswamys party, amid reports that it may play a big role in the event of a hung assembly.
The counting of votes for 224 seats in the Karnataka assembly will begin at 8 am at 36 counting centres that have been installed across the state.
In the outgoing assembly, the ruling BJP has 116 MLAs, followed by the Congress with 69, JD(S) 29, Bahujan Samaj Party one, two independents, the Speaker and six vacant seats due to deaths and resignations to join other parties ahead of the election.
The electoral fortunes of top leaders - Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP, Congress veterans Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar, and Mr Kumaraswamy will be decided today.
Counting of votes polled for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections, which witnessed a fierce contest between rivals BJP and the Congress, will be held today.
Karnataka registered a record voter turnout of 73.19% on May 10, surpassing the 72.36% recorded during the 2018 assembly polls.
Seven out of 10 exit polls have showed Karnataka is heading for a hung assembly. Two have predicted an outright victory for the Congress and one for the BJP. Those expecting a hung house also indicated that HD Kumaraswamy's JD(S) is likely to play the kingmaker. Health warning: exit polls often get it wrong.