As per the latest trends/Results – available for 211/224 seats at 10.28 am: The resurgent Congress is leading in 103 seats and won 5 seats, the incumbent BJP is ahead in 39 seats. Yeddyurappa’s KJP is leading only in 11 seats as against the JD(S) which has put a strong show with leads in 44 seats. Others are leading in 12 seats.
Clearly, the Congress has made a comeback in Karnataka but may fall short of majority. With the JD(S) expected to win over 40 seats, HD Kumaraswamy and his father HD Deve Gowda may emerge as kingmakers. The BJP appears to have lost considerable ground – it may end up as third after Congress and JD(s) – but will take solace from the decimation of BS Yeddyurappa’s KJP.
Key candidates
Congress
Lead: MH Ambareesh (Mandya), H K Patil (Gadag), SS Mallikarjuna (Davangere North), Priyank M Kharge (Chittapur), Dinesh Gundurao (Gandhi Nagar), Roshan Baig (Shivajinagar), Siddaramaiah (Varuna), TB Jayachandra (Sira), Umashree (Terdal)
Trail: Dr G Parameshwara (Koratagere), S Kumar Bangarrapa (Sorab), CK Abdul Rahman Sharief (Hebbal), CM Ibrahim (Bhadravati)
BJP
Lead: Anant Hegde (Sirsi), Govind Karjol (Mudhol), R Ashoka (Padmanaba Nagar), S Suresh Kumar (Rajaji Nagar) neck-to-neck race, the Congress is inching ahead of the incumbent BJP in Karnataka assembly elections 2026 for which counting of votes began on Wednesday.
As per the latest trends available:
| Party | Seats |
| Congress | 93 |
| BJP | 37 |
| JDS | 42 |
| KJP | 10 |
| Others | 15 |
Key candidates: Leading BS Yeddyurappa (KJP), Anitha Kumaraswamy JD(S), B Sreeramulu (BSRC), Dinesh Gundurao (Congress), HD Kumaraswamy JD(S), KS Eshwarappa (BJP), Siddaramaiah.
Trailing: S Kumar Bangarrapa (Congress), CM Ibrahim (Congress), PC Mohan (BJP).
Counting of votes for the recently held Assembly elections in Karnataka began this morning amid projections about the Congress’ comeback to power after an eight-year-long hiatus.
The single phase poll was held on May 5 for 223 of the 224 constituencies with the poll in Periyapatna put off following the death of a BJP candidate.
Counting was taken up this morning under tight security at 36 centres and the Results are expected to be known by noon, sources in the Election Commission said.