K'taka local polls: BJP wins Belagavi, falls short in Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalburgi

Bengaluru, Sep 6 : Karnataka's ruling BJP has managed to wrestle Belagavi City Corporation by winning a clear majority in local body elections, but fell short of a majority in Hubballi-Dharwad, whereas Congress suffered a setback in Kalburgi.

However, the BJP is all set to elect its mayoral candidates in all three major city corporations.

The AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi marked its arrival in Karnataka by winning one seat in Belagavi and three seats in Hubballi-Dharwad.

The BJP won 36 seats in the 58-member Belagavi City Corporation as both Kannadigas and Marathi-speaking people came together to vote for it. The Congress won 10 seats, while the Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES), which had wielded influence in local elections for decades, was reduced to two seats. The AIMIM won one of the six seats it contested.

In the 82-member Hubballi-Dharwad city corporation, the BJP won 39, while the Congress bagged 33 seats. The AIMIM sprang a surprise by winning three seats. Independent candidates won in six seats, while the JD-S managed to win only one seat. The BJP is all set to sit at the helm by garnering support from independents to attain the majority of 42.

The BJP is planning to take reins of Kalburgi City Corporation with the help of the JD-S. Kalburgi was considered as the stronghold of Congress as it is the native district of party veteran and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.

The BJP managed to win 23 seats against the Congress which emerged as the single largest party with 26 seats in the 55-member body. The JD-S managed to win 4 seats.

BJP MLC N. Ravikumar stated that the BJP will get the support of the JD-S and there should not be any doubts.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai congratulated the party leaders for registering a thumping win in the Belagavi City Corporation and putting up a good show in Kalburgi and Hubballi-Dharwad.

The BJP has managed to emerge as a single largest party in Doddaballapur municipality by winning 12 seats, while Congress won Tarikere Municipality in Chikkamaglur district.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, however, maintained that the BJP has failed to secure a majority in Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalburgi, which showed that the ruling party has lost the confidence of people.