BJP bounces back, wins 17 seats, leaving 9 to Cong, 2 to JDS

In a remarkable comeback, a rejuvenated BJP today notched up 17 seats in Karnataka, checkmating ruling Congress in its bid to replicate its last year's Assembly polls success, leaving it with a tally of nine.
The results are heartwarming for BJP, though its tally is two less than 19 seats secured in the 2009 polls, as the party has recovered the lost space since it was grounded by Congress in the 2013 Assembly polls.
Betting high, Congress had hoped to hit a target of 18 or 20 seats, compared to six it secured in the last Lok Sabha polls, but its ambition had been put paid to by the 'Modi magic' on which BJP banked heavily to revive itself.

JDS-led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda won two seats, including Hassan, which the party chief retained by 1,00,462 votes. JDS suffered a loss of face in Chikkaballapur where Gowda's son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy came third against Union minister M Veerappa Moily, who won.
BJP's victory spread was well balanced with the party faring well in almost all regions of the state, although it drew much of its strength in north Karnataka.
The outcome could be a source of worry for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as below-the-expected tally might weaken his standing within the party, increasing his vulnerability as he is essentially perceived as a 'Janata Parivar' man.

Bangalore stood solidly behind BJP, as it retained all the three seats by impressive victory margins.
In Bangalore South, Infosys co-founder and chief architect of UPA's Aadhar programme Nandan Nilekani suffered a humiliating defeat from BJP's Ananth Kumar, who retained the seat for the sixth time winning it by a huge margin of over 2,27,000 votes. The billionaire technocrat conceded defeat even as counting was under progress.