The counting of votes for the Karnataka bypoll election result began 8 am today and results are likely to be declared by this afternoon. The result will decide the fate of BJP government in the state, and also of the rebel MLAs who had sought the re-election following their resignation from erstwhile Congress-JD(S) coalition.
The bypolls were held on December 5 for 15 Assembly seats, left vacant by MLAs who resigned in July, triggering the collapse of the Congress-JDS coalition and paving the way for the BJP to come to power. The ruling BJP needs to win at least seven seats to claim a majority in the House, which will have a strength of 224 after the bypolls, with 2 seats still vacant. The BJP currently has 105 MLAS (106 including the support of an independent candidate) while the Congress has 66 and the JDS 34. Twelve of the 15 seats were previously held by the Congress and the remaining three by the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS).
| Constituency Name | Party | Leading By Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Athani | BJP | Mahesh Iranagouda Kumathalli leading with margin of 3,815 votes |
| Kagwad | BJP | Balasaheb Patil leading with margin of 1,452 votes |
| Gokak | BJP | Ramesh Jarkiholi leading with margin of 2,182 votes |
| Yellapur | BJP | Arabail Shivaram Hebbar leading with margin of over 8,102 votes |
| Hirekerur | BJP | BC Patil leading with margin of 2,188 votes |
| Ranibennur | BJP | Arun Kumar Guththur leading with margin of 868 votes |
| Vijayanagara | BJP | Aanand Singh leading with margin of 3,264 votes |
| Chikkaballapur | BJP | K Sudhakar leading with margin of 9,317 votes |
| Yeshwanthapura: | JDS | TN Javarayi Gowda leading with margin of 1,276 votes |
| Mahalakshmi Layout | BJP | K Gopalaiah leading with margin of 7,715 votes |
| Shivajinagar | Congress | Rizwan Arshad leading with margin of 1,634 votes |
| Hoskote | Sharath Bachegowda leading with margin of 3,879 votes | |
| Krishnarajapete | JDS | BL Devaraj leading with margin of 850 votes |
| Hunasuru | Congress | HP Manjunath leading with margin of 5,393 votes |
10:49 am (IST) Shivakumar Concedes Congress' Defeat | Conceding defeat, Congress DK Shivakumar says, “We have to agree the mandate of the people. We have accepted defeat but there is no need to be dis-heartened. By-elections and general elections both are different. The Congress has a stronghold in Karnataka and it will not vanish.
10:40 am (IST) BJP Leads in 12 Seats, Congress in 2 WHile JD(S) Pushed to Zero | The BJP has taken up a lead in 12 seats, pushing the JD(S) to zero. The Congress continues to lead in two seats — Shivaji Nagar and Hunsur. The JD(S) is trailing in Yeshwanthpura and Krishnarajpet seats, where it was leading in early trends. Independent candidate and BJP rebel Sharath Kumar Bachi Gowda leads in Hosakote.
10:30 am (IST) BJP Wins Yellapur | The Bharatiya Janata Party has secured a win in Yellapur after the Election Commission declared the bypoll election result for this constituency.