Surging ahead of the ruling Congress in Karnataka, BJP has staked claim at 17 seats so far, while the incumbent Congress is behind with 1 seat.
The BJP is leading in 89 Assembly seats, while its rival Congress in 71 constituencies, initial trends showed. Victory mark is 112 seats.
BJP workers, on Tuesday, started with their celebrations outside the party office in Bengaluru.
Dismantling the incumbent Congress government will be like another stag-head trophy on the wall for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government, as they have usurped several states from the Congress in recent years.
The latest Election Commission of India trends indicate that the BJP has claimed more seats than the Congress or the JD-S, assuring them of triumph in this crucial elections, which comes in the build-up to the all-important 2019 general elections.
Revelling in the landslide victory, BJP workers were seen parading with flags and raising 'Bharat Mata ki Jai!' slogans outside the party's Bengaluru office, with forming an independent government in the state all but confirmed for the most dominant political party in India's history.
#BJP workers celebrate outside party office in #Delhi as trends show the party is set to win | Full video: https://t.co/IOadW3K35x pic.twitter.com/4cUgVF2KR6
Advertisement opens in new window— Outlook Magazine (@Outlookindia) May 15, 2018
"People of Karnataka want good governance, that is why they have chosen BJP. This is a big victory for the party. Congress is losing state after state & we are winning state after state," Prakash Javadekar, BJP Karnataka in-charge said.
Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivkumar admitted defeat of the party.
"Rahul Gandhi did his best, but it is we who have lost the elections. We, the local leadership, should have en-cashed it in a proper way & because of which we lost it," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.
A defeat in Karnataka for Congress will mean that it will only have governments in Punjab and Puducherry. Like PM Modi put it during campaigning – party of three Ps, that is, Punjab, Puducherry and Parivaar, taking his umpteenth potshot at Congress’ “dynastic rule”.
Karnataka election is the first major test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ability to sway elections south of Vindhyas.
For Congress, retaining Karnataka is critical. A win in the state is crucial for the grand old party to have bargaining power over other potential allies in the fledgling united front being planned to take on the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
(Agency inputs)