For the 105 urban local bodies(ULB) in Karnataka that held polls on August 31, the vote counting is underway. The results will be declared by tonight, The Indian Express reported.
Out of the total 2,664 seats that witnessed elections on Friday, results for 2,631 have been declared, reported CNN-News18. As per the report, Congress has bagged 967 seats yet and BJP is slightly behind with 917 seats. While JD(S) stands at the third position with 373 seats.
ULB elections can prove a major determinant of BJP’s popularity in Karnataka after the party emerged as the single largest party during the state assembly elections earlier this year.
The BJP was seen leading in the municipal corporation of Shimoga — the fortress of its former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa. While no party swept clear victory in Mysuru and Tumkur districts, reported NDTV.
“We would have won more if it weren’t for the coalition government,” BJP leader Yeddyurappa commented on his party’s performance.
While Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge on his party’s close contest with the BJP said “Neck-to-neck fight is there and if you combine secular votes, they are the most. These elections are based on minor issues and local candidates. These results don’t hold much significance.”
JD(S) has also cleared its stance of forming an alliance with Congress, in case there were no clear results. A JD(S) leader told news agency IANS on Saturday, “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.”
News18 report said that JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda has also confirmed that Congress and JD(S) will form a post-poll alliance wherever necessary. He further added that this is not an indication of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019.
In the 2013 Karnataka urban local bodies elections held in 4,976 seats, the Congress had emerged victorious with 1,960 seats, while the BJP and the JD-S had won 905 seats each, and Independents had to content with the remaining 1,206 seats.