Along with anti-incumbency and a strong narrative by the opposition, the BJP's diminished performance in the 2023 Karnataka election is perhaps an indictment of its social engineering strategies.
Karnataka Election Results: Out of the 69 Lingayats fielded by the BJP, only 15 secured victory. The community, which has traditionally backed the saffron party, supported the Congress this time. This disenchantment was long in the making
Congress has crossed the halfway mark in Karnataka while the ruling BJP conceded defeat. However, the saffron party has managed to secure its stronghold across the coastal region and Bengaluru constituencies, as per the trends so far.
As the counting began for 224 member assembly polls, trends showed Congress leaders maintaining massive leads in a few constituencies. According to ECI data as of 1:55 pm, Laxman Savadi contesting from Athani constituency gained a total of 94,505 votes, a lead of over 50,000 votes against BJP's Mahesh Kumathalli, who received 38,654. Catch the latest updates on Karnataka