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Bangalore, May 11: The BJP will emerge on top with 31 of the 89 seats that went to poll today in the first phase of Karnataka Assembly elections followed closely by JD(S) 30 and Congress (25), said an exit poll by NDTV television news channel.

In Bangalore, where 28 seats are at stake, the exit poll poll showed the saffron party bagging half of them, followed by Congress (10) while the Deve Gowda-led party was a distant third with just four seats.

The number of seats in Bangalore has swelled to 28 from 16 after the delimitation of constituencies.

Overall, the exit poll said BJP will get 31 seats in the first phase, an increase of 11 from last elections, JD(S) 30 seats, a loss of six, while Congress 25, a loss of five seats.

The exit poll projected a four per cent vote swing in BJP's favour in the state capital region and a three per cent in the rest of the 61 seats.

There was a four per cent swing away from Congress in Bangalore and two per cent in rest of the seats, the poll said.

The exit poll samples were collected from 7248 voters across 30 constituencies.

Heavyweights like former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy (JD-S), his brother Revanna and Congress Campaign Committee Chairman and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were in the fray in seats that went to polls in the first phase.