Karnataka Election: Congress heads for simple majority in Karnataka

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ A resurgent Congress appeared headed for a simple majority in Karnataka, and on course to wrest power from the BJP in a morale-boosting victory ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections.   As per the latest trends, the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party was leading in 124 constituencies, well above the 113-mark needed for a majority in the 224-member House, elections to which were held on May 10.

While Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (Shiggaon), former CM Siddaramaiah (Varuna), state Congress President D K Shivakumar (Kanakapura) and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy (Channapatna) are among the prominent faces leading in their respective segments, Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil (Ramanagara), BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi (Chikkamagaluru) and former CM Jagadish Shettar of the Congress (Hubli-Dharwad Central) are trailing. Siddaramaiah said the party will come to power on its own strength by winning over 120 seats.

“The visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and national BJP President J P Nadda have had no impact on the voters of Karnataka,” he said.   “Congress party will win by getting over 120 seats; it (counting) is still in the initial stage, more rounds of counting have to be completed. So Congress will come to power by getting over 120 seats on its own strength,” the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly said.