Bangalore, May 8: Karnataka's ruling BJP was Wednesday headed for a rout in assembly election with several ministers, including deputy chief minister K.S. Eshwarappa, trailing as votes were counted.
Besides Eshwarappa, who headed for a loss in his home constituency in Shimoga, Law Minister S. Suresh Kumar in Rajajinagar in Bangalore and Muruegesh Nirani in Bilagi in north Karnataka's Bagalkot district were also trailing.
However, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar was leading in Hubli-Dharwad central seat in north Karnataka.
In the 2008 election, the Bharatiya Janata Party had won 110 seats and formed the government in the state for the first time with the help of five independents.
The assembly has 224 elected and one nominated members. Election took place Sunday for 223 seats as election was cancelled in one constituency after the BJP candidate died.
