After LS rout in Karnataka, Congress makes strong comeback in local body polls
04:32AM Sat 1 Jun, 2019
A week after its worst-ever drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, the Congress has emerged as the most successful party in the recently concluded Urban Local Body elections.
Among a total of 1221 wards across 20 districts, which went to polls on May 29, the Congress won 509 seats. The BJP and the JD(S) won 366 and 160 seats respectively. A total of 160 seats were won by independent candidates.
Among other parties, only the CPI(M) and BSP won two and three seats each.
Unlike the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD(S) contested these elections separately for seven City Municipal Councils, 714 seats in 30 Town Municipal Councils and 290 seats in 19 Town Panchayats.
Of the 1,361 seats in 63 civic bodies, elections were held in 1,221 seats in 56 civic bodies spread over 20 of the 22 districts across the southern state. Polls were not held for 46 seats in Bengaluru Rural and 94 seats in Shivamogga in the Malnad region due to legal cases pending in these two districts with regards to delimitation and reservations.
Of the 217 seats in 7 city councils, the Congress won 90, the BJP 56, the JD(S) 30, and Independents and others 41.
Of the 714 seats in 30 town councils, the Congress won 322, the BJP 184, the JD(S) 102, and Independents and others 106.
Of the 290 seats in 19 town panchayats, the BJP won 126, the Congress 97, the JD(S) 34, and Independents 33.
Reacting to the victory, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao questioned how BJP lost after performing so well in the Lok Sabha elections.
He tweeted, “@INCIndia wins 509/1221 of the #KarnatakaUrbanLocalBodiesElections
Winning almost 42% of the seats, it clearly shows that the people of Karnataka are with the Congress. What surprises me is how did BJP lose after winning by huge margins in the Loksabha. Needs investigation.”
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru BBMP limits, the BJP and the Congress won one seat each in the bye-polls held on the same day. Source: The News Minute@INCIndia wins 509/1221 of the #KarnatakaUrbanLocalBodiesElections
— Dinesh Gundu Rao / ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) May 31, 2019
Winning almost 42% of the seats, it clearly shows that the people of Karnataka are with the Congress.
What surprises me is how did BJP lose after winning by huge margins in the Loksabha. Needs investigation. pic.twitter.com/wa9uRcMp4r
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