Karnataka polls: BJP fails to win even one seat reserved for ST

PTI, May 14, 2023, 6:30 PM IST

The BJP, which witnessed defeat in the Karnataka Assembly polls, failed to win even a single seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Besides, the party also lost in 24 constituencies out of 36 reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates.

Karnataka has 51 reserved constituencies, out of which 36 seats are reserved for SC candidates and 15 for candidates belonging to the ST community. On Saturday, the BJP conceded defeat in the state Assembly elections after its seat share came down to 66 from 104 in the 2018 polls. The poor show of the saffron party in the reserved seats came despite the outgoing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s decision to increase reservation for the SC/ST community in the state.

The Congress, which won 135 seats in the 224-member state assembly, registered a massive win in the seats reserved for the SC/ST candidates. Out of 36 SC seats, Congress candidates won 21, while the BJP candidates emerged victorious in 12 seats. The JDS, which showed poor performance in the polls, managed to win just three seats. The BJP finished as first runner-up on 13 SC-reserved seats. Congress candidates won Kudachi, Mudhol, Nagthan, Chittapur, Kanakagiri, Hubli-dharwad-East, Haveri, Mayakonda, Mudigere, Koratagere, Pavagada, Kolar gold field, Bangarapet, Pulakeshinagar, Anekal, Devanahalli, Nelamangala, Malavalli, Nanjangud, T Narasipur and Kollegal seats reserved for the SC category.

The BJP registered victory in Raybag, Chincholi, Gulbarga Rural, Aurad, Lingsugur, Shirahatti, Hadagalli, Holalkere, CV Raman Nagar, Mahadevapura, Sakleshpur and Sullia seats for SC category.

The JDS managed to win Hagaribommanahalli, Shimoga Rural, and Mulbagal seats.

The Congress trounced the BJP by winning 14 out of 15 seats reserved for the ST category pushing the saffron party to the runner-up place. The JDS won Devadurga seat. Congress candidates won Yemkanmardi, Shorapur, Raichur Rural, Manvi, Kampli, Siruguppa, Bellary, Sandur, Kudligi, Molakalmuru, Challakere, Jagalur, Heggadadevankote and Maski seats reserved for the ST category. In the 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP had won 22 out of 51 reserved seats.