Karnataka civic poll results: BJP wins Belagavi corporation, slightly short of majority in Hubballi-Dharwad

CM Basavaraj Bommai hailed the party’s performance as the people’s acceptance of the BJP regime while, conceding defeat, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah alleged that the complete administrative machinery was in the hands of the BJP.

The results of the Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi city corporation polls in Karnataka were announced Monday with the BJP leading in two of the civic bodies. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai hailed the party’s performance as the people’s acceptance of the new regime.

In the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), the BJP won 39 seats, falling short of the magic number of 42 needed to get a clear majority in the 82-member council. The Congress party won 33 seats in the HDMC, bettering their performance, while independents bagged six seats.

The AIMIM, which contested the polls here for the first time, won three of the 11 seats in which the Hyderabad-based party had fielded candidates. Karnataka’s regional party JD(S) won only one seat, which was dismal compared to the nine it had won in the last election. The Aam Aadmi Party had fielded candidates in 41 wards, but drew a blank.

In Belagavi, the saffron party made history by securing control over the city corporation, winning 35 of its 58 wards. The Congress won 10 seats in the corporation, while independents got 12 seats and AIMIM bagged one seat. Many of the independents support the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), which is not a recognised party.

Reacting to the election results, Bommai said it is clear that the voters placed their trust in the BJP. “Last time we got poor results in Belagavi but these results prove that the district has backed a stable administration under the BJP.”

In Kalaburagi City Corporation, the Congress has emerged as the single-largest party winning 27 seats in the 55-member council, while the BJP won in 23 wards. The JD(S) managed to clinch four seats and one ward went to an independent candidate.

Bommai said the party faced the civic polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and party state president Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Kateel expressed confidence that the BJP would capture power in the three corporations with the help of legislators and MPs. He said the party’s performance reflects the success of the BJP regime in the state under Yediyurappa and his successor Bommai.

Reacting to the results, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Siddaramaiah said, “We never expected the current outcome in Belagavi. The BJP has got a majority. We expected more seats in Hubballi where no party has got a majority. No party has a majority in Kalaburagi either.”

The former chief minister also said that the complete administrative machinery was in the hands of the BJP. “They have used infinite monetary resources for the elections which our party lacks. The Kalaburagi Police Commissioner assaulted our party workers and misused his position. He was working like an agent and party worker of the BJP,” he said.

“Though we never expected these results, we have to accept the mandate given by the voters in our democratic set-up. I thank all those who supported our party,” he added.

Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said the party has improved its presence in the three civic bodies. “We have done well in Kalaburagi, while our results have improved in Belagavi and Hubballi-Dharwad,” he said.

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