JD(S) comes third with 375 seats, BJP 929, Cong 982
In the first electoral popularity test after the May Assembly election, the Congress on Monday emerged the single largest party in the urban body polls and together with the Janata Dal(S) won more than half of the 2,662 seats at stake. The Congress secured 982 seats and the BJP 929, while the JD(S) came third with 375 seats. The Independents have also won more than 300 seats.
The Congress and the JD(S) which are ruling the State in alliance contested the polls separately. The result is seen as a setback for the BJP which was the single largest party in the Assembly polls. Considering that the urban voters are seen as major support base of the BJP, the result is certainly disappointing for the saffron party.
In many places, the JD(S) and the Congress can join hands to control the local bodies. However, the BJP is leading in the municipal corporation of Shimoga — the stronghold of its former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
There is no clear winner in Mysuru and Tumkur. On the other hand, voters put the Congress in the saddle in Ballari, Bidar, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Mysuru, Raichur, Uttara Kannada and Yadgir. The BJP was in the leading position in Bagalkote, Belagavi, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Davangere and Udupi districts.
The JD(S) is in the leading position in its traditional strongholds, including Hassan, Mandya and Tumakuru.
Upbeat over the outcome, Karnanaka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said, “City voters normally vote for the BJP, but with the outcome of this result, now even city voters have shown full support for the coalition Government led by the Congress and the JD(S).”
Congress communication incharge Randeep Singh Surjewal said the people of Karnataka have rejected the “jumlas” of the BJP. “People of Karnataka have once again reposed their faith in the Congress by making it the number one party in Urban local Bodies. People have accepted development policies of Congress-JD(S) Government and have rejected jumlas of the BJP,” he tweeted.
BJP strongman BS Yeddyurappa was obviously disappointed with the outcome. “The BJP should have won more seats but we could not perform the way we wanted to because of the Congress-JD(S) coalition,” he said.
He went on to add that the BJP has substantially increased its tally. “This is the proof of the BJP continuing to enjoy the support and confidence of the people. “Another factor is the money power of the Congress and the JD(S), which the BJP failed to match,” he added.
Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily said the local leaders will decide on alliance in areas where the Congress lacks the majority.
JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda said the Congress and the JD(S) will have a tie-up wherever the results are hung. He said it is not an indication of what is likely to happen in the lok Sabha.
Voting in three places in Kodagu was postponed because of rain and flooding in the past few weeks. Many districts, including Bengaluru, will vote later in the year.
Meanwhile, eight people were injured in an acid attack on the victory procession of winning Congress candidate Inayatullah Khan in Tumkur.
There was a record turnout of over 68 per cent when elections to over 100 city and town municipalities and town panchayats across Karnataka were held on August 29. Elections were not held in Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru districts as a case on reservation of wards is pending before the Karnataka High Court. Over 8,000 candidates contested the local body polls and some 800 fought for the three city corporations.
In the 2013 local body polls 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 won the remaining 1,206 seats.