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In a dramatic turn of events after Karnataka delivered a hung Assembly, the Congress on Tuesday announced its backing to the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) to form a government to prevent the BJP from regaining power in its only southern bastion.
After the initial euphoria of the Bharatiya Janata Party crossing the half-way mark in the 224-member Assembly where two constituencies didn't vote on Saturday, Election Commission data showed the BJP could end up with 104 seats.
This would be eight seats short of a simple majority in a House where no one else appeared ready to back the BJP.
The Congress, despite being bruised in an election it had hoped to win, was set to take 77 seats and the JD-S could be victorious in 38 constituencies - two short of its tally of 2013.
Independents and smaller parties would bag three seats.
As it became clear that the BJP might not cross the half-way mark, Congress leaders quickly got in touch with the JD-S of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his son and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy at HD Deve Gowda's residence in Bengaluru. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/f2e1Zd4B7vAsked if Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Valal can invite the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged as the single largest party to form the government, he said: "How can (Governor call the BJP) when majority is there with the two parties.
- ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Siddaramaiah submits his resignation to the Governor of Karnataka #KarnatakaVerdict pic.twitter.com/ay5biEnIM7The Congress veteran met the state's Governor at the latter's residence and tendered his resignation.
- ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
WATCH Live via ANI FB: BJP addresses the media in Bengaluru https://t.co/3mo97GEPcV pic.twitter.com/aKm7PNJvcnSiddaramaiah was over-confident: Shivakumar
- ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nirmala Sitharaman celebrate at party headquarters in Delhi #KarnatakaElectionResults pic.twitter.com/ZLsHco9eR2
- ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
We accept the mandate of the people. We bow our heads to the verdict. We don't have numbers to form govt. The Congress has offered to support JD(S) to form govt: G. Parameshwara, Congress.
He said: "The people have decided to make Karnataka Congress 'mukt' as in the other states. The Congress loses wherever its President Rahul Gandhi campaigns. Karnataka is the latest proof."
Unlike Gandhi, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is able to connect with the people through hard work, performance and commitments. "The huge response to his 21 campaign rallies in six days is evidence of his immense popularity," said Shantaram.
The fact that Siddaramaiah is losing badly to JD-S in Chamundeshwari is evidence of the strong anti-incumbency against the Congress and its Chief Minister."
He said the Congress had failed to read the pulse of the people.
"The entire state Congress leadership, especially Siddaramaiah and G. Parameshawara, misled Gandhi on their government's non-performance and the so-called fulfilment of promises made in the 2013 poll manifesto."
BJP workers celebrate in Delhi
Celebrations broke out at the BJP headquarters in Delhi as the party appeared set to return to power in its southern bastion Karnataka. Bharatiya Janata Party workers dressed in party colours saffron and green celebrated by bursting crackers, distributing sweets and dancing to the tune of drums, outside the party office. There were congratulatory hugs amid loud cheers for party leaders.
The workers, who had come to the party office early in anticipation of a victory, assembled in large numbers outside the gates of the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg office. Many were armed with Holi colours.
Several BJP leaders, including Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, joined the celebrations.
The Congress, desperate to retain power in the state amid shrinking appeal nationally, suffered major blows and was ahead only in 62 seats, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah trailing in both the constituencies he contested: Badami and Chamundeshwari.
The Congress leader was way behind G.T Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal-Secular in Chamundeshwari, Election Commission officials said. And after leading initially, Siddaramaiah fell behind B.R. Sriramulu of the BJP in Badami.
In contrast, the BJP's Chief Ministerial face B.S. Yeddyurappa was ahead of his Congress rival by more than 11,000 votes in Shikaripura.
Energy Minister and Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar said that the numbers indicated that his party was on the way out after five years in power.
Any party or grouping will need 113 of the total 224 seats to secure a majority in the Assembly. Polling did not take place in two constituencies on Saturday.
The BJP was overjoyed. "We are in a jubilant mood because we have crossed the half-way mark. We are confident of winning," spokesman S. Shantharam told IANS.
BJP activists and leaders celebrated noisily in both Bengaluru and New Delhi, waving party flags and shouting slogans hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their main vote-getter, and party President Amit Shah.
There were also celebrations outside the residence of Yeddyurappa, who has been Chief Minister earlier too.
The Janata Dal-Secular of former Prime Minister H.D. Dewe Gowda, which has been expected to play the role of a kingmaker in the event of a hung Assembly, was leading in 40 seats -- the same number it won five years ago.
As the vote count progressed, BJP leaders became assertive, saying they were confident of taking power again in Karnataka while Congress leaders began to speak about the possibility of an alliance with the JD-S.
BJP leader and Union Minister Sadanand Gowda said that there was no question of any alliance.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who is in charge of Karnataka, met BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi.
Analysts said the BJP was leading in Lingayat dominated seats and the JD-S in Vokkaliga dominated areas.
Expectations of a BJP victory in Karnataka lifted the key Indian equity indices during the mid-morning trade session on Tuesday.
According to market observers, broadly subdued Asian indices and disappointing macro-economic inflation data points released on Monday capped some gains.
Sector-wise, healthy buying was witnessed in banking, capital goods, metals, consumer durables and automobile stocks.
The Sensex has so far touched a high of 35,993.53 points and a low of 35,498.83 points during the intra-day trade.
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