BENGALURU: Close on the heels of the ruling BJP and opposition Congress fighting neck and neck to win eleven seats each in the polls to the 25 Council seats in Karnataka, the results of the 58 urban local bodies (ULBs) threw up a similar trend.
The Congress has won 498 seats followed by the BJP's 437, with the JD (S) winning 45. Independents and others who have won 204 seats will hold the key in many ULBs including Sira City Municipal Council (CMC) of Tumakuru and Hosapete of Vijayanagara where the fractured mandate resulted in a hung council.
But the trend in urban spaces especially in the CMCs is slightly in favour of the BJP as it has won 67 seats with the Congress close behind with 61, while the JD(S) with 12 is a long way behind in the 166 seats that went for the polls. Here too, independents and others have won 26 seats.
In the Town Municipal Councils (TMCs), out of 441, the Congress has won 221 followed by the BJP with 176, the JD(S) with 21 and others with 43. In the Town Panchayats, comprising a mix of both urban and rural areas, the results showed a trend in favour of the Congress as it has won 236 seats as against the BJP's 194 and JD(S)'s 12, with others winning 135.
"Huge win for @INCKarnataka in Local Body elections. Congress winning more seats compared to ruling BJP is the reflection of their hopeless governance. This is an indication of what we can expect in the eventual General Elections(sic)" tweeted the leader of opposition Siddaramaiah.
The BJP has romped home in the CMCs of Hebbagodi in Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru and Gadag Betagari by winning the seats required to form the ruling dispensation.
The CMCs of Sira and Hosapete witnessed a fractured mandate despite having ruling BJP MLAs Dr C M Rajesh Gowda and minister Anand Singh representing the constituencies in the assembly.