Karnataka verdict a blow to Congress' dream of challenging Modi in 2019

On the cusp of delivering a crushing defeat to the Congress in Karnataka Assembly election 2018 Results, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday was on course to emerge as the largest single party in the state. But the 110-seat halfway mark of the 222 constituencies that went to the polls on Saturday was still eluding the party at the time of filing of this report. Elections to the remaining two seats will be held on May 28.

Interestingly, the Congress led the BJP in terms of vote share by over a percentage point. But, the BJP maximised its winnings in its areas of influence. If the Congress’ vote share was 38 per cent, the BJP's was 36.7 per cent.

The Janata Dal (Secular) proved that prophecies of its demise were premature. The JD(S) was on course to match its 2013 tally of 40 seats, and its vote share was 17.7 per cent, two percentage points less than in 2013. But, with BJP inching towards the majority mark, it seemed the JD (S) could have lost the opportunity to play the kingmaker.

Some of the ministers in the Siddaramaiah government were trailing, including the chief minister himself in one of the two seats in which he contested. He was trailing JD(S)'s G T Deve Gowda by over 27,000 votes in Chamundeshwari, and his defeat looked imminent. He was leading in Badami, the second seat that he contested, by 3,000 votes. The trend of some of the ministers losing suggested that there was anti-incumbency against individual legislators in the Siddaramaiah government, if not the government itself.

Karnataka election results: JD(S) accepts Cong's alliance offer; updates

The Karnataka Assembly election 2018 result is close to being known as vote counting is underway on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally blitz in the state poised to pay off. According to official Election Commission figures as of 14:17 pm, the BJP was leading in 70 seats and had won 36 seats, the Congress was leading in 65 seats and had won nine, the Janata Dal (Secular) was leading in 35 seats and had won four, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party had won one seat, the Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in one seat, and the independents were leading in one seat.

According to official Election Commission trends as of 12.50 pm, the BJP was leading in 104 seats and had won four seats, the Congress was leading in 69 seats and had won one, the Janata Dal (Secular) was leading in 40 seats, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party was leading in one, the Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in one, and the independents were leading in one seat.

A record 72.36 per cent of the 50.7 million (5.07 crore) electorate cast their votes, with 27,908 electors in defence services exercising their franchise through postal ballots.

Karnataka election results: Modi rallies set to pay off, BJP leads; updates

The Karnataka Assembly election 2018 result is close to being known as vote counting is underway on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally blitz in the state poised to pay off. According to TV reports, the BJP was leading in 112 seats, Congress was leading in 68 seats, the JD(S) in 40, and others in two seats. Trends showed BJP chief ministerial Candidate B S Yeddyurappa was leading from Shikaripura, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was leading from the Badami seat and was trailing from Chamundeshwari. Further, BJP workers were reportedly celebrating outside the party office in Bengaluru.

According to official Election Commission trends as of 12.02 pm, the BJP was leading in 115 seats, the Congress in 63, the Janata Dal (Secular) in 40, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party in one, and the Bahujan Samaj Party in one.

A record 72.36 per cent of the 50.7 million (5.07 crore) electorate cast their votes, with 27,908 electors in defence services exercising their franchise through postal ballots.

Karnataka election results 2018: BJP seen cruising to majority on its own

Karnataka election results 2018 - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is cruising towards a comfortable majority on its own, the trends so far suggest, opening what BJP President Amit Shah stressed was its gateway to the South. A clear verdict from Bengaluru has implications for the BJP's future prospects in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala. The mandate would eliminate the much-speculated role of the Janata Dal (Secular) as the kingmaker and put paid to the theories of a coalition government and the larger ramifications for central politics in Delhi.

The trends so far seem to establish Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s position as the first among equals in the BJP and indeed the Sangh Parivar. A clear majority for the BJP will confirm Shah's skills as a poll strategist par excellence because it was the caste equation he formulated by coalescing the core support of the Lingayats with that of the Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes, Brahmins and sections of the Dalits that broke the majority jinx for the BJP.

Karnataka Election result LIVE

Mallya says he wants to vote in Karnataka polls but can't travel to India

Karnataka polls - Liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, who had represented Karnataka twice in the Rajya Sabha, today said it was his democratic right to vote in the state assembly polls, but lamanted that he cannot travel to India, where he is wanted to face charges of fraud and money laundering.

The 62-year-old former businessman parliamentarian had first represented Karnataka as the member of the Upper House of Parliament between April 10, 2002 and April 9, 2008.

"It is my democratic right to vote in Karnataka, but as you know I am here and cannot travel," he told reporters outside the Westminister Magistrate's Court in connection with a hearing in his ongoing extradition trial, to rule if he can be extradited to India to face charges for financial irregularities involving an amount of around Rs 9,000 crores, as well as money laundering cases.

He was re-elected for the Rajya Sabha from the southern state on July 1, 2010 and resigned on May 5, 2016 before his the expiry of his term on June 30, 2016. He is in the UK since March 2016.

Modi affect? The emerging India-US role reversal in world leadership

For the last half of the 20th century, the United States was the world's beacon for democracy and economic development and India was a laggard. These roles are reversing as the end of the second decade of the 21st century approaches.

India is becoming a beacon and the US is becoming a flashlight. In large part, this is a consequence of leadership.

India has a leader in Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is pursuing the future. The US has a leader in Donald Trump who is pursuing the past. President Trump is emphasising individualism and isolationism. Prime Minister Modi is stressing engagement and expansionism.

Freedom House, in its annual report titled "Freedom in the World 2018" released in January, noted that "A long list of troubling developments contributed to the global decline of democracy, but perhaps most striking was the accelerating withdrawal of the United States from its historical commitment to promoting and supporting democracy."

Gujarat polls: BJP might get a rude shock, says Yogendra Yadav

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could be in for a rude shock in the Gujarat Assembly elections, said noted political scientist Yogendra Yadav on Wednesday — a day before the last phase of voting in the state.

“There was a sharp swing against the BJP in the past few weeks,” and he said, adding: “Unless the trend is dramatically reversed, surveys lead to the same conclusion — defeat for the BJP.”

Yadav, a leader of the political organisation Swaraj Abhiyan with nearly two decades of experience as a psephologist, had based his projections on the data collected in three surveys since August by CSDS-ABP. He said the results if the Gujarat polls could be subdivided between urban, semi-urban, and rural areas.

Polling will be held for 93 seats on Thursday. The first phase of polling was held on December 9 for 89 of the 182 seats in the Assembly. The counting of votes is on December 18. Exit polls will be in after voting ends.

In a tweet, Yadav said the BJP was “on a solid wicket” in the 39 urban seats. “It can’t lose more than 10 seats [in urban areas].” In semi-urban areas, where it now has 36 seats, it might lose half.

Yadav forecast that the BJP faced a “steady downhill” in the 98 rural seats, where it had trailed the Congress in 2012 Assembly polls, and could now face a rout.

Assembly elections announced. Voting for 5 states begins Feb 4

Breaking News - Uttar Pradesh will go to polls  in seven phases on February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 and March 4 and 8 , said Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Wednesday.

Assembly elections Voting in Goa and Punjab will be held on February 4. Uttarakhand will go to polls on February 15.

Polling in Manipur will be in two phases. The first phase with 38 constituencies will go to polls on March 4 and the second phase with 22 constituencies on March 8.

The counting for all five assemblies will take place on March 11.

The model of conduct comes into effect immediately.

The terms of the legislative assembly in Uttar Pradesh is going to end on May 27, Uttarakhand is due to expire on March 26 while that of Goa, Manipur and Punjab expires on March 18.

160 million voters will exercise their franchise in polling that will be held in 690 Assembly consitutencies. 1.85 lakh polling stations will be set up with some of them being modern polling station as well.(Read More)