Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has thanked party leaders and workers in Karnataka for "giving a historic mandate" as results of the state election show the party crossing the halfway mark and leading in more than 130 seats.
The BJP is ahead on 60-plus seats and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's Janata Dal (Secular) in some 20 seats.
"Heartfelt thanks to the people of Karnataka for giving a historic mandate to the Congress party. This is a victory for your cause. This is a victory for Karnataka giving priority to the idea of progress. This is the victory of politics that unites the country," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
She had campaigned in the state extensively with her brother Rahul Gandhi, who had walked across Karnataka as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra.
"My best wishes to all the hard-working workers and leaders of Karnataka Congress. All your hard work paid off. The Congress party will work diligently to implement the guarantees given to the people of Karnataka," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.
Priyanka Gandhi said the Karnataka results gave a message that the people want politics that solve their issues. "That's what our campaign focussed on - development, fighting corruption," she told reporters later.
The Congress has called a meeting and asked all its MLAs to reach Bengaluru.
"We will brief the candidates about how to react. The high command will take decisions," said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Sources said the MLAs would be moved to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, a state the party rules in alliance with DMK - to pre-empt possibilities of poaching.
