Karnataka By Election Results 2019 Updates: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 12 of the 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka that went to by-elections on December 5. With this, the saffron party under the leadership of BS Yediyurappa has increased its tally from 105 to 117 in the Vidhan Soudha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the voters for showing faith in the BJP, adding that the people have punished the Congress and JD(S) for back-stabbing the mandate. “The Congress and its allies subverted the mandate in Karnataka, stabbed it in the back. These parties will now have to bite the dust,” he said. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that the BJP will provide a pro-people government and also dropped hints that 11 of the 12 winning candidates may be inducted into the Cabinet.
The bypolls were held to fill the vacancies caused by the disqualification of 17 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs, whose revolt led to collapse of the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July and paved the way for BJP to come to power. A total of 15 of 17 seats went to the polls — Athani, Kagawad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranebennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapur, Hoskote, KR Pura, Yeswanthpur, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagar, Krishnarajpet and Hunsur. Twelve of the 15 seats were held by the Congress and three by JD(S).
Highlights
Turncoats had a field day in the Karnataka Assembly by-elections to 15 segments as 11 of the total 13 of them in the fray after joining the BJP emerged victorious. And now, ministerial berths also awaits them. Ten were in the Congress previously and three in the JDS headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
The 11 winners are: Mahesh Kumatalli (Athani),Srimant Patil (Kagwad), Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak), A ShivaramHebbar (Yellapur), B C Patil (Hirekerur), Anand Singh(Vijayanagara), Dr K Sudhakar (Chikkaballapura), ByrathiBasavaraj (KR Pura), K Gopalaiah (Mahalakshmi Layout), Narayana Gowda (KR Pet) and S T Somashekhar (Yashwanthapura).
BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday welcomed the outcome of Karnataka assembly bypolls, swept by his party, saying the result reflected voters' reaction to "opportunist politics".
Fadnavis said the voters rejected parties who "stole" mandate for the sake of power, apparently referring to the Congress and the JD(S) joining hands to keep the BJP, which had emerged as the single-largest political formation after the 2018 Karnataka assembly polls, out of power. "In the very first chance they get, this is how voters react to opportunist politics & stealing of mandate by rejected parties by coming together for the sake of power! He further said, #KarnatakaBypolls result proves that people wont tolerate if someone tries to play with public mandate & wish!" he said in a statement issued from his official Twitter account.
BJP's S T Somashekar has won the Yeshvanthapura assembly seat. He defeated JD(S) candidate TN Gowda by a margin of 27,699 votes.
BJP secures comfortable majority in the Karnataka assembly as the saffron party won 12 out of 15 seats in the bypolls. In a poor show, the Congress party won two assembly seats while an independent candidate Sharath Bachegowda won from Hosakote assembly seat. Former Congress ally JD(S) failed to open its tally.
Independent candidate and a BJP rebel Sharath Kumar Bachegowda has won the Hosakote assembly seat. He defeated BJP candidate MTB Nagaraj by a margin of 11,486 votes.
BJP candidate B C Patil has won the Hirekerur assembly seat, defeating Bannikod Hanumantappa of the Congress by 29,067 votes.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao has resigned from his post, taking responsibility for the party's poor show in the assembly bypolls. Congress could manage to win only two seats in a huge setback to the opposition party. The party held 12 of the 15 seats where by-elections were held on December 5.
BJP candidate Balasaheb Patil has won from the Kagwad assembly seat after defeating Congress' Bharamgouda Alagouda Kage by 18,557 votes.
Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has resigned as Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader after the Congress suffered a blow in the Karnataka bypolls. "As a leader of legislative party, I need to respect democracy. I have resigned as Congress Legislative Party leader. I have submitted my resignation to Sonia Gandhi Ji," he said.
Congress party has won only two out of 15 Assembly seats in the bypolls.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka scripted history by recording its first-ever win in the JDS' citadel Vokkaliga in Mandya district. The BJP also opened its account in Chikkaballapura and Gokak assembly segments. BJP candidate Narayana Gowda won from K R Pete in Mandya district, defeating JDS candidate B L Devaraj by over 9,700 votes. The seat was dominated by Congress and JD(S) for decades, and BJP had no presence.
BJP's K Gopalaiah wins in Mahalakshmi Layout, defeating Congress candidate M Shivaraju by 54,386 votes.
BJP's Karnataka unit chief Nalin Kumar Kateel said Congress and JD(S) have been "disqualified" in the people's court. "Siddaramaiah (Congress) and H D Kumaraswamy (JDS) had created a narrative of 'disqualified MLAs' to discredit our candidates, but today the Congress and the JD(S) have been disqualified in the people's court and have given a verdict of 'Qualified' to our candidates," Kateel said.
Congress candidate HP Manjunath wins in Hunasuru. Manjunath defeated BJP candidate Adagooru H Vishwanath by 39,727 votes.
The BJP has also registered a win in the Krishnarajapete seat. Its candidate Narayan Gowda has defeated JD(S) candidate B L Devaraj by 9,731 votes.
BJP candidate wins in Ranibennur constituency. Arunkumar Guththur defeated Congress candidate K B Koliwad by a margin of 23,222 votes.
According to the Election Commission od India data, the Bharatiya Janata Party has won three seats and leading in nine seats. The Congress is leading in 2 seats and Independent leading in 1 seat.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa said that the BJP will provide a pro-people government. "I am happy that people have given a very good verdict. Now, without any problem we can give a pro-people and a stable government," he said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the outcome, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people of the state have declared that Congress and JD(S) will not be able to betray them. He said that the people of Karnataka have opted for a firm government instead of a questionable coalition.
BJP's Arvind Limbali said this result is a great victory for the BJP. The previous government collapsed as their MLAs resigned because they didn't get grants to develop their constituencies. "The coalition was not functioning smoothly. MLAs resigned as they were unhappy. These MLAs can no longer be called disqualified," he said.
BJP candidate Ramesh Jarkiholi wins from Gokak constituency. BJP candidate Arun Kumar wins from Ranebennur.
CM BS Yediyurappa said that eleven MLAs will get cabinet berth out of the 12 winning candidates. "Ranebennur BJP candidate wasn't promised anything and I don't see any problem with all 11 becoming ministers. In the next 3-4 days I'll go to Delhi and finalise everything," he said.
BJP candidate BC Patil has won from the Hirekerur constituency.
BJP candidate Anand Singh has won from Vijayanagar constituency. He defeated VY Ghorpade of the Congress by 30,125 votes. Vijayanagara (Gen) is a constituency in the Bellary district.
BJP candidate from Yellapur, Arbail Shivaram Hebbar wins. Shivaram defeated Congress' Bhimanna Naik by a margin of over 31,000 votes.
Karnataka minister Ashok says party will decide if all the 12 defectors, who now seem to be winning the seats for BJP, will get Cabinet berths. The BJP is leading in 12 of the 15 seats.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya congratulates Chief Minister B S Yedipurappa and thanks Karnataka for voting for a stable government. "Your 2018 mandate for BJP has been fortified with the bye election results. Under the leadership of CM our government will give stable and good governance for our beloved state."
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa celebrates with his son BY Vijayendra as BJP leads on 12 out of 15 seats.
BJP candidate and disqualified Congress MLA K Sudhakar is leading by over 24,520 votes in Chikkaballapur constituency. Sudhakar was among the first Congress leaders in the state to publicly criticise the party's coalition with the JD(S).
The BJP is leading in 12 seats and the Congress in two seats. An independent candidate is leading in one seat. The bypolls to 15 seats took place on December 5.
Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Monday morning concedes defeat in the bypolls. He said, "We have to agree with the mandate of the voters of these 15 constituencies. People have accepted the defectors. We have accepted defeat, I don't think we have to be disheartened."
The overall polling percentage was 67.91, the highest voter turnout was recorded in Hoskote assembly segment (90.9 per cent), whereas the lowest was KR Puram (46.74 per cent).
In the assembly with the current strength of 208, the BJP has 105 MLAs (including an independent), the Congress 66 and the JD(S) has 34 MLAs. After polls on 15 seats, the House strength will go up to 223. Then the BJP needs to have 112 to retain power in the state. Therefore, the saffron party needs to win at least six of the 15 seats to remain in the majority. The two seats -- Maski and R R Nagar will remain vacant.
BJP rebel and Independent candidate Sharath Kumar Bachegowda is leading against BJP candidate MTB Nagaraj in the Hosakote Assembly seat. Nagaraj is the richest MLA in the country. Nagaraj is trailing by 3,879 votes.
According to the Election Commission's trends, the BJP leading in 10 seats, Congress and JDS leading in 2 seats each, Independent -1. Counting is underway in 15 assembly seats.
Karnataka BJP spokesperson Vaman Acharya said that the party will win 13 of the 15 seats. Several exit polls have also predicted that the ruling saffron party will win maximum seats. The BJP needs six seats to remain in power.
Postal ballots results are out for Mahalakshmi layout seat. BJP candidate K Gopalaiah is leading from the seat.
After round 2 of counting of votes in Yeshwanthpur, JD(S) is leading with 2091 votes. Earlier, BJP was in the lead.
The Janata Dal (Secular) is leading in 2 seats - Yeshwantpur and KR Pete. The Congress is leading in 2 seats - Shivajinagar and Hunsur. An Independent candidate is leading in Hoskote constituency. BJP is leading in 10 seats.
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa went to Dharmasthala and sought the blessings of Lord Manjunatha. Amid chanting of hymns, Yediyurappa performed a special puja in the temple for his partys (BJP) victory in the polls and successful completion of his tenure in the next three-and-a-half years. The BJP needs at least six seats in the assembly. At the end of the rituals, the priest tied a turban around his head.
Former prime minister and JD (S) chief HD Deve Gowda on Sunday visited Saibaba temple in Shirdi in Maharashtra on the eve of the results of the crucial Karnataka assembly bypolls. "For me, Ram and Raheem are the same. I prayed to Saibaba for the betterment and development of the country," Deve Gowda told reporters in Shirdi in Ahmednagar district.