Live Karnataka results: Kumaraswamy meets Karnataka Governor, Yeddyurappa gets there before him
Story highlights
Ghulam Nabi Azad, HD Deve Gowda & other Congress and JD (S) leaders leave after the meeting in Bengaluru's Ashoka Hotel
Ghulam Nabi Azad, HD Deve Gowda & other Congress and JD (S) leaders leave after the meeting in Bengaluru's Ashoka Hotel. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/5Nlpp83mJU
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy are meeting with Congress leaders including Siddaramaiah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, DK Shivakumar and Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru.
HD Deve Gowda reaches Ashoka Hotel for meeting with senior Congress leaders in Bengaluru
HD Deve Gowda reaches Ashoka Hotel for meeting with senior Congress leaders in Bengaluru. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/GIDbPgSPpZ
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan made observers for Karnataka, legislative party meeting to be held at 11 am tomorrow in Bengaluru.
The JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Tuesday evening to stake his claim to forming a government.
HD Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Mallikarjun Kharge at Raj Bhawan in Bengaluru. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/swRZKUbpsT
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Intriguingly, the BJP's CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa met Vala just before Kumaraswamy. Yeddyurappy said that since the BJP has emerged as the single largest party in Karnataka, it should be allowed to prove its majority in the floor of the house.
Just now we met Governor because we are single largest party, and that he allows us to prove majority in the Assembly: BS Yeddyurappa #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/D9RLMU9zVY
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
100 percent we will form the government: BS Yeddyurappa #KarnatakaElections pic.twitter.com/06633TqFBv
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Even as the JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy leaves for the Raj Bhavan to meet Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, the BJP's Yedyurappa has already got there.
They are both expected to stake claim to forming a government in the state.
#UPDATE: BS Yeddyurappa , Ananth Kumar, Shobha Karandlaje & Rajeev Chandrasekhar have entered Raj Bhavan. #KarnatakaElections2018 https://t.co/QbXsiVj89F
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy leaves for Raj Bhawan to meet Karnataka Governor in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/wHejf1Cyvh
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Congress & JDS has 117, we need 111 to form the govt. Since we were in power, and we lost, we have given our support for JDS led govt. BJP has 104, we are ahead of them : Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress pic.twitter.com/NUaGSQ2whV
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy seeks appointment from the Governor of #Karnataka this evening, writes we have accepted Congress's support to form the Government. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/epuCqf4m17
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Siddaramaiah submits his resignation to the Governor of Karnataka.
Bengaluru: A Congress delegation led by G Parameshwara, who had gone to the Governor's House, did not get entry, turned back. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/kR3D7DDCvh
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
A Congress delegation led by G Parameshwara, who had gone to the Governor's House, did not get entry, turned back.
Sonia Gandhi has spoken to HD Deve Gowda about an alliance between Congress and JD(S).
94 seats declared so far, counting still on in 126 seats: Election Commission
We (Congress & JDS) are jointly meeting the Governor in the evening today: KC Venugopal, Congress. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/jUd5cVaSNu
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
We had a telephonic conversation with Deve Gowda ji & Kumaraswamy. They have accepted our offer. Hopefully, we will be together: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/OemBerpX7r
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
"No party has a majority, Congress has decided to support the JD(S)," said Siddaramaiah.
"JD(S) will form the government with our help," he added.
Results according to ECI website — Congress: 75, BJP 106, JD(S)+ 38, Others 3.
Congress's Chief Ministerial candidate Siddaramaiah lost from Chamundeshwari but won from Badami by defeating BJP's B Sriramulu.
BJP CM Candidate BS Yeddyurappa wins from Shikaripura seat by 35,397 votes #KarnatakaElections2018(File Pic) pic.twitter.com/obaxDpy1lP
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Official EC trends: BJP now leading on 106 seats, Congress 76, JD(S)+ 38, Others 02.
BJP Parliamentary Board to meet at 6 pm at party headquarters in Delhi today.
As political activity begins in Karnataka, BJP leader Prakash Javadekar is heading to the state.
In Mumbai Karnataka which borders Maharashtra, of the 50 seats BJP is leading in 30 with the Congress leading in 17.
BJP has crossed the half-way mark in early trends.
There is no question of alliance(with JDS) as we are already crossing 112 seats: Sadananda Gowda,BJP #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/Hi4ODkOaxo
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
Correct position will be known at 11-11.30 am. I am going to discuss it( possibility of alliance with JDS) with Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ashok Gehlot.: Mallikarjun Kharge,Congress #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/vvUqunzVA6
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy is leading against Congress candidate Iqbal Husaain by over 7000 votes in Ramanagara.
Kumaraswamy is also leading from Channapatna.
As JD(S) galloped in early trends today, Deve Gowda said he won't comment on the trends as yet. Will form alliance after speaking to MLAs, he added.
Meanwhile, Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah leading in Badami assembly constituency.
Even as the party trails in Karnataka, Congress leader Ashok Ghelot said the party will be forming the government in the state.
The JD(S) is leading in 45 seats which is step-up from their performance in the last assembly polls in 2013.
Although the BJP has pulled ahead in the early leads but the Congress and JD(S) are still not out of the race. Early trends show Congress is leading in Dalit dominated seats with the JD(S) pulling off a strong performance in southern Karnataka.
The JD(S) which had won 40 seats in the last elections is set to repeat the feat in 2018.
BJP is ahead in rural seats, the party is leading in Hyderbad Karnataka in north-east Karnataka.
BJP's heavyweight candidate Karunakara Reddy is leading from Harpanahalli seat.
As expected, JD(S) is leading in most Vokkaliga seats.
JD(S) leading in southern Karnataka with the BJP leading in the coastal belt in Lingayat seats.
Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah is currently trailing in North Karnataka's Badami assembly constituency against BJP's tribal leader Sriramulu.
In a see-saw tussle, Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has started trailing in Chamundeshwari as the state witnesses a close fight between the Congress and the BJP.
The BJP is ahead in Lingayat seats. BJP's CM candidate BS Yeddruppa is leading from Shikarpur.
EVMs have been opened across counting centres in #Karnataka. Visuals from a counting centre in #Hubali.#KarnatakaElections pic.twitter.com/XsOHZiZgZs
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
EVMs have been opened across counting centres in #Karnataka. Visuals from a counting centre in #Kalaburagi's Afzalpur.#KarnatakaElections pic.twitter.com/FYyQkMVWDE
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
All three parties - Congress, BJP and JD(S) are in a neck and neck tussle as early leads pour in from Karnataka. No party has taken a clear lead as yet in the first half hour of counting.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency with Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda slugging it out in an even contest.
Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah leads from both Chamundeshwari and Badami.
Counting of votes for #KarnatakaElections2018 begins, postal ballots to be counted first. Visuals from a strong room (where EVMs & postal ballots are kept) in #Kalaburagi's Afzalpur. pic.twitter.com/Pwyg6Cy01M
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
On the possibility of an alliance with JD(S), Dr Yathindra, son of CM Siddaramaiah and Congress candidate from Varuna, said "we are confident and hope to form Government on our own" although he added the question of an alliance will be decided by senior party leaders.
Early leads show JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy is leading from Ramanagara constituency.
Early leads have started coming in for postal ballots with trends showing Congress ahead in 1 seat and BJP in 2 with JD(S) ahead in 1 seat.
After a high voltage election campaign and big voter turnout on Saturday, the day has finally arrived, today results will be declared in Karnataka with the BJP and Congress waiting with bated breath. The seat placement in the 222-member Karnataka Assembly is likely to change dramatically today with a hung house predicted.
Congress chief minister Siddaramaiah will be hoping for results to go in his favour in the high stakes elections with the party determined to hold on to the gateway of South. The BJP will be hoping to form the government after running a high profile campaign spearheaded by PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made with 11, 000 police personnel deployed across Bengaluru ahead of counting day. A contingent of Rapid Action Force(RAF) and 20 Karnataka State Reserve Police(KSRP) have also been activated.
Apart from this, 50,000 police personnel have been deployed across 38 counting centres across the state.
#Visuals from a counting center (Maharani College) in Bengaluru ahead of counting of votes for #KarnatakaElections2018; additional security has been deployed across 38 counting centres in the state pic.twitter.com/ehXdk6hvgr
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018
#Visuals from a counting center (Gulbarga University) in Kalaburagi ahead of counting of votes for #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/RdHmiAz9Zu
— ANI (@ANI) May 15, 2018