Karnataka polls: Celebrations break out in Congress, BJP falls silent

The counting centres that aroused the most curiosity was Jayanagar, besides Gandhinagar constituencies, as the victory margins were very close.

Congress workers celebrate at the party office after the party's decisive lead in the Karnataka Assembly elections. (Photo | PTI)

BENGALURU: Around 10 am Saturday, as the Congress started gaining an early lead in over 100 assembly constituencies, the party office on Queen’s Road in Bengaluru erupted into celebration, with workers cheering and distributing sweets, confident that their party would get a clear majority. 

As the day progressed, the mood became clear in each camp. The BJP office in Malleswaram, which was brimming with activity for weeks, began falling silent as the party’s debacle became apparent. The impact of the candidates’ shocking performance began to sink in by noon. 

The JDS party office in Seshadripuram wore a completely deserted look, with no party workers or leaders to be seen on the premises. 

Ecstatic Congress supporters in front of the KPCC office in Bengaluru 
on Saturday | Vinod Kumar T

Throughout the day, rejoicing continued at the Congress office as the results poured in. Congress workers jumped and danced as it became clear that the party would comfortably cross the magic number of 113. Workers shouted slogans against the BJP, like “Forty per cent commission is yours, government is ours!”
Right from 7 am, agents started entering counting stations across the city. Congress workers waiting outside the stations kicked off celebrations as soon as the trends became clear, while BJP workers were holding discussions in groups, and making calls to figure out what could have gone wrong. 

JDS workers, who initially showed some enthusiasm as their Yeshwanthpur candidate Javarayi Gowda was leading in the initial rounds, lost all hope after he fell behind BJP candidate S T Somashekar. Party workers lifted up winning Congress candidates like Rizwan Arshad and Zameer Ahmed Khan outside the counting station at BMS College in Basavanagudi, to express their joy. 

The fight between BJP candidate Muniratna and Congress candidate Kusuma for the Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat was closely watched after it kindled interest among the people. By afternoon, Kusuma was leading but by evening, Muniratna emerged victorious. The counting centres that aroused the most curiosity was Jayanagar, besides Gandhinagar constituencies, as the victory margins were very close.