Updated
Bengaluru, Sep 3(PTI): The Congress was on Monday locked in a close fight with the BJP in elections to urban local bodies in Karnataka but was set to gain control of a majority of the ULBs with a post-poll tie-up with ruling coalition partner, JD(S).
According to the state election commission, the Congress has secured 966 seats and the BJP has 910 seats in the elections held on Saturday. The JD(S) has won 373 seats and the others the rest of the seats.
Results for 2,628 seats out of 2,709 have been declared so far.
Both the Congress and the JD(S) contested the polls separately despite being partners in the state government, but they have already declared that they would tie up post-election in urban bodies.
The Congress and the JD(S) put together have won 1,339 seats that give them a clear edge over the BJP and control of a majority of the ULBs.
These elections were considered a popular test of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government which was formed post-May assembly polls which had yielded a hung verdict and also was indicative of the voters' mood before the Lok Sabha elections.
]The BJP had ended up as the single largest party in the assembly polls but had failed to muster numbers to form the government, which paved the way for the Congress and JD(S) to stitch an alliance and take over the reins of administration.
The elections were held for three city corporations, 29 city municipal councils, 52 town municipal councils and 20 town panchayats.
Polls to Kodagu urban local bodies have been withheld due to the recent floods in the district.
The BJP was in the leading position in Bagalkote, Belagavi, Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Davangere and Udupi districts. On the other hand, voters put the Congress in the saddle in Ballari, Bidar, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Mysuru, Raichur, Uttara Kannada, and Yadgir.
The JD(S) is in the leading position in its traditional strongholds, including Hassan, Mandya and Tumakuru.
Earlier report
Pics: Silvester D'Souza/Umesh Marpalli/Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sep 3: Counting had begun on Monday, September 3 for the ULB polls in the state.
In some places results have been already announced. By afternoon, results of all places will be announced.
Find below the updates:
04.59pm: CM HD Kumaraswamy says, "We are happy with the way the coalition parties have performed. BJP keeps saying that coalition won't last but people have shown their faith in the coalition government."
04.28pm: BJP president BS Yeddyurappa said that the results were below the expectations of the party. However, he maintained that the election cannot be viewed as the mood of the people ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
03.40pm: Eight people were injured in an acid attack on the victory procession of winning Congress candidate Inayatullah Khan in Tumkur
01.18pm: Out of 3 city corporations, the BJP has won in 1 with fractured vedict in 2
12.09pm: Results have been declared on 2267 out of total 2664 seats in 102 urban local bodies where polls took place on August 31. Congress wins 846, BJP wins 788, JD(S) wins 307, and independent candidates win 277 seats
12.02pm: Out of 29 city councils across Karnataka, the BJP has won 10 while the Congress won in 5 followed by the JD(S) by winning in 3 city councils
11.54am: Out of 53 municipalities across Karnataka, the Congress has won 19 while the BJP has won 12 followed by JD(S) winning in 8 municipalities
11.51am: Out of 20 town panchayats across Karnataka, the BJP and the Congress have won 7 each. The JD(S) has won 2 with fractured vedict in 4 town panchayats.
10.58am: The BJP has grabbed power in Puttur municipality by winning 25 seats while the Congress has won only 5 seats
10.54am: Fractured verdict in Bantwal as Congress wins 12 seats while the BJP has won 11 seats followed by SDPI with 4 seats
10.50am: Jamakhandi city council goes to Congress
10.49am: According to reports results have been declared on 1412 out of total 2664 seats in 102 urban local bodies where polls took place on August 31. Congress wins 560, BJP wins 499, JD(S) wins 178, and independent candidates win 150 seats
10.37am: Saligrama town panchayat goes to BJP
10.33am: BJP grabs power in Udupi city council. BJP won 31 wards while four seats were won by the Congress
10.27am: Stone pelting reported in Ullal as independent candidate defeats minister U T Khader's close aide Usman
10.23am: Fractured verdict in Ullal municipality as Congress wins 13 seats while the BJP has won 6 followed by SDPI with 6 seats and JD(S) has won 4 seats
Kundapur
Ullal
10.21am: Huge setback for BJP as Hatti town panchayat, Sindhanur city council and Mudalaga muncipality goes to Congress
10.07am: Bailahongal muncipality in Belagavi goes to Congress
10.04am: Gokak city council in Belagavi goes to Independents backed by former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi
09.58am: Sedam municipality in Kalaburagi goes to BJP
09.55am: Victory for former CM Siddaramaiah as Congress grabs power in Badami municipality
09.52am: Guledgudda municipality in Bagalkot goes to Congress
09.50am: Big setback for deputy chief minister G Parameshwara as JD(S) grabs power in Koratagere town panchayat
09.48am: Sindhanur city council in Raichur goes to Congress
09.41am: BJP grabs power in Bagalkot city council
09.39am: BJP wins Kundapur TMC. BJP won 14 seats while the Congress managed to win 8 seats
09.38am: Chittapur municipality in Kalaburagi goes to Congress
09.25am: Yellapura town panchayat in Uttara Kannada goes to Congress
09.24am: Madhugiri municipality in Tumakuru goes to Congress
09.23am: Setback for local Congress MLA as Jevargi municipality in Kalaburagi goes to BJP
09.21am: Clean sweep by Independents in Khanapur town panchayat in Belgaum
09.18am: JD(S) grabs power in Pandavapura muncipality
09.17am: JD(S) wins Chennarayapatna muncipality in Hassan
09.16am: Re-polling likely as Dinesh Rai of the Congress and BJP candidate in ward no 16 in Ullal polled equal votes
09.14am: Sakleshpur muncipality goes to JD(S)
09.12am: Congress opens account in Udupi CMC
09.09am: JD(S) wins Maddur muncipality in Mandya
09.07am: BJP wins Honnalli town panchayat
Earlier report
Mangaluru: ULB polls: Counting of votes on Monday - prohibitory orders in force
Counting of votes in respect of election held to urban local bodies of Ullal, Bantwal and Puttur is being held today. This will decide the fate of 250 candidates who have fought the election battle for the 89 seats.
Prohibitory orders issued by the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district will be in force from 6 am to 12 midnight on Monday September 3 under section 35 of Karnataka Police Act. During this period, holding of processions, victory procession, holding of public meetings and functions, protests, processions, dharna, strike, road blockade, laying siege etc have been banned.
Carrying of arms, cudgel, sword, spear, guns, knives, sticks, cane and any other things which can inflict bodily hard has been banned. Raising of slogans publicly that can instigate people to indulge in crime, singing, playing music, delivering of inflammatory speeches, preparing of pictures, symbols, wallpapers and other such items and exhibiting or transmitting them has been banned.