K’taka election results: Counting begins across state amid tight security

Among 2,613 candidates, 2,427 are men and 185 are women.

Bengaluru: The process of counting of votes was underway in Karnataka on Saturday. The strong rooms were opened at 7 a.m., and the officials began counting from 8 a.m. amid elaborate security arrangements.

The counting was taking place in 36 centres at district headquarters.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai visited the Hanuman temple and offered prayers before the counting process began in Hubballi.

The authorities have clamped curfew orders in the capital city Bengaluru and communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district to avoid untoward incidents and maintain law and order situation.

The election results are crucial for the national political parties BJP, Congress and also for JD(S). The elections are dubbed as the semi-finals and set the tone for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held in 2024. The exit polls have predicted that the Congress party would emerge as the single largest party and also indicated a hung Assembly.

The JD(S) has already sent feelers for the national parties and sources claimed that the national parties have also reached out to the JD(S) leaders. The intense competition and campaigning for the seat of power in Karnataka by Congress, BJP and JD(S) has raised the curiosity all over the country over results.

BJP is still claiming that it would attain a majority as per its reports from booth level workers and wants to create history as no party has returned to power in the state since 1985 in Karnataka. Congress is brimming with confidence and Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has announced that the party would comfortably win 141 seats. The JD(S) is hoping to win 30 to 40 seats. The magic number is 113 in the 224-member state legislature.

The intense competition has led to the possibility of horse-trading and national parties are said to be readying for poaching MLA’s from the rival camps, according to sources. The BJP is ready for ‘Operation Lotus’, while Congress is also ready to go for a ‘reverse operation’. JD(S) is busy keeping its flock together and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is personally keeping in touch with candidates.

Statement by Minister for Revenue R. Ashoka that no matter how many seats BJP will win, it will form the government and MLC Lakhan Jarkiholi, brother of former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi that 20 elected candidates from Congress will resign have stirred controversy and led to many speculations.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) are hoping to make it to the Karnataka legislature for the first time.

The fate of 2,163 candidates seeking election who are in fray is sealed in the ballot boxes.

Among 2,613 candidates, 2,427 are men and 185 are women. One candidate is in the other category.

• 13 May 2023 11:41 AM (IST)Karnataka elections: Celebrations at Congress HQ in DelhiHyderabad: With the Congress crossing the magic number ‘113’ and leading on 118 seats in the Karnataka Assembly elections, the party workers started celebrating at 24 Akbar road, the party head office.
• 13 May 2023 11:09 AM (IST)Karnataka elections: Cong leading in 121 seats, crosses the magic figureHyderabad: As per the latest trends shown by the Election Commission of India, the Congress was leading in 121 Assembly seats in Karnataka on Saturday.
• 13 May 2023 10:42 AM (IST)6 BJP ministers trailing in K’taka, Siddaramaiah & Shivakumar leadingHyderabad: In a shock to the ruling BJP in Karnataka, six of its ministers were trailing as counting of votes was underway on Saturday.
• 13 May 2023 10:19 AM (IST)Karnataka polls: Shivakumar leads, Shettar trails in early trendsHyderabad: Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar, an aspirant to be Chief Minister, is leading in early trends of counting while Jagadish Shettar, who switched to Congress from Bharatiya Janata Party, is trailing in Hubli-Dharwad-Central.
• 13 May 2023 10:17 AM (IST)Karnataka elections: People rejected BJP & PM Modi, say Congress leadersHyderabad: Following the latest trend showing Congress leading in Karnataka assembly elections, the grand-old party leaders have claimed that they are coming in the state with full majority
• 13 May 2023 10:04 AM (IST)Congress widens its lead to over 113 seats in K’takaHyderabad: The Congress party has widened its lead to over 113 seats in Karnataka assembly elections while BJP, which was hoping to retain the power, was trailing with 79 seats.
• 13 May 2023 09:45 AM (IST)Karnataka polls: Congress leads with 112 seatsHyderabad: The Congress is on course for its best-ever performance in Karnataka with the party leading in 112 Assembly seats, while the main challenger BJP is trailing with 80 seats, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• 13 May 2023 09:39 AM (IST)Karnataka polls: Congress leads with 110 seatsHyderabad: The Congress is on course for its best-ever performance in Karnataka with the party leading in 110 Assembly seats, while the main challenger BJP is trailing with 86 seats, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• 13 May 2023 09:36 AM (IST)Karnataka poll results: Early trends show Congress leading on 25 seats, BJP on 12 BengaluruHyderabad: Early trends showed Congress leading against the BJP and JD(S) in counting of votes that began in Karnataka on Saturday,  the Congress was leading on 38 seats while the BJP was ahead on 15 seats and JD(S) on 2.
• 13 May 2023 09:23 AM (IST)Karnataka elections 2023: BJP ‘confident’ of winning majority; Congress says will see after resultsHyderabad: Ahead of the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in Karnataka scheduled on Saturday, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have rejected exit polls’ prediction of a hung assembly and claimed of winning a majority and form their government in the state.
• 13 May 2023 09:22 AM (IST)Congress headquarters wear celebratory mood as counting for K’taka polls beginHyderabad: As the counting began for 224 member assembly polls, the Congress headquarters in the National capital wore a festive look with party workers also performing a Pooja.
• 13 May 2023 09:15 AM (IST)Initial trends indicate close fight between Cong, BJP in K’takaHyderabad: The trends were available for more than 150 seats. BJP and Congress candidates were leading in more than 70 seats each.

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