BJP has won 12 seats and leading with a majority in the Karnataka MLC elections held on 25 seats in the 75-member Legislative council. Congress has won 11, however, HD Deve Gowda's JDS faced a setback in the polls winning only 1 seat. The counting is underway.
BJP now has 38 members in 75-member Legislative Council.
The polls were held on December 10, the ruling BJP party needs to win 13 seats as it worked hard to attain a majority in the Council. The party won seven seats in the last polls.
If the ruling BJP manages to attain a majority, it is going to help the prospect of the Chief Minister Basavara Bommai within the party.
The JD (S), which rejected the proposal of alliance by the state BJP, will lose the position of chairperson in the upper house if BJP attains power. Presently, JD (S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti is the chairperson of the council.
The state's ruling BJP and the Congress have fielded candidates in 20 constituencies, while the JD (S) contested in six and the AAP in three constituencies.
While, there is a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress in 13 constituencies, the stage is set for a triangle battle in eight seats. Strong independent candidates are in the fray in Belagavi and Dharwad constituencies.
The results are regarded as a precursor for the 2023 state Assembly elections.
Of the 90 candidates trying their luck, 89 are male and the lone female contender is Congress' Gayathri Shanthe Gowda. Voter turnout was more than 99 per cent.
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