Karnataka: BJP leads in 16 constituencies

Maintaining its initial leads, the ruling BJP in Karnataka was racing ahead in 16 of the 28 constituencies followed by Congress in nine and JDS in three seats.     

The initial trends indicate that the BJP may not be in a position to better its tally of 18 seats in the 2004 polls.     

In Bangalore South, BJP General Secretary H N Anantkumar was trailing by more than 5870 votes against Krishna Byregowda of Congress in a see-saw battle.     

Former Prime Minister and JDS chief H D Deve Gowda was leading in Hassan, his home turf, while his son, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was way ahead by a huge margin of 57,736 votes after counting of 45 per cent of votes was completed.     

Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily lead by a slender margin of 1453 votes in Chikkaballapur but his party colleague Margaret Alva trailed by 15,184 votes against her BJP rival Anantkumar Hegde in Uttara Kannada.     

B Y Raghavendra, son of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, has increased his lead to 35,849 votes over Congress veteran S Bangarappa in Shimoga.     

In Bidar, former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh of Congress had established a lead of 5624 votes over BJP's Gurupadappa Nagamarpalli, while his close friend, opposition Congress leader in the state assembly M Mallikarjun Kharge trailed by 6940 votes over his nearest BJP rival, Minister for Animal Husbandry Revunaik Belamagi in Gulbarga Reserved seat.