Karnataka election results: JD(S) accepts Cong's alliance offer; updates

The Karnataka Assembly election 2018 result is close to being known as vote counting is underway on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally blitz in the state poised to pay off. According to official Election Commission figures as of 14:17 pm, the BJP was leading in 70 seats and had won 36 seats, the Congress was leading in 65 seats and had won nine, the Janata Dal (Secular) was leading in 35 seats and had won four, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party had won one seat, the Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in one seat, and the independents were leading in one seat.

According to official Election Commission trends as of 12.50 pm, the BJP was leading in 104 seats and had won four seats, the Congress was leading in 69 seats and had won one, the Janata Dal (Secular) was leading in 40 seats, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party was leading in one, the Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in one, and the independents were leading in one seat.

A record 72.36 per cent of the 50.7 million (5.07 crore) electorate cast their votes, with 27,908 electors in defence services exercising their franchise through postal ballots.

The Election Commission has deployed 16,662 personnel for counting of votes amid tight security. "Postal ballots will be counted first before the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are opened," Kumar said.

Meanwhile, four of the seven polling agencies predicted in their exit polls that the BJP would emerge as the single-largest party today. While most exit polls predicted a hung Assembly with the BJP ahead, two said the BJP would either come very close to or cross the halfway mark of 112 seats, while the India Today-Axis exit poll said the Congress might bag a majority. All exit polls gave the H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) nearly two dozen seats or more, which could make it the kingmaker if there is a hung Assembly.

Top 10 developments on Karnataka election 2018 results:

1) The BJP could come up short of a majority on its own: According to official Election Commission figures as of 14:17 pm, the BJP was leading in 70 seats and had won 36 seats, the Congress was leading in 65 seats and had won nine, the Janata Dal (Secular) was leading in 35 seats and had won four, the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party had won one seat, the Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in one seat, and the independents were leading in one seat.