Karnataka Election Results 2018: Political drama continues in state; 10 key highlights

The counting ended for the much-talked about Karnataka Assembly polls on Tuesday but there's no end in sight to the prevailing political uncertainty.

The final result of the polls conducted on 222 seats in the state saw BJP being declared as the single largest party, winning 104 seats, followed by Congress and JD(S) which secured 78 and 37 seats, respectively. The remaining three constituencies have been won by independent candidates.

As BJP could not touch the magical number, Congress is now pulling out all stops to save its southern bastion. However, saffron party is also trying its best to form its government in the state.

While political drama continues in the state post Karnataka assembly elections results, here are the ten key highlights that you need to know:

>The early trend showing BJP in leads continued till the end and the party emerged as the single largest party in the state crossing the 100-mark, but unable to touch the magical number.

>Congress, which was standing far behind gaining half of the seats, and thus, forming the government, changed the game. It extended its support to JD(S) to make government in the state and HD Deve Gowda’s son Kumaraswamy as the CM.

>JD(S) which was standing on the third number in parties tally, readily accepted the Congress’ offer. The party sought appointment of state governor to discuss with regard to this.

> Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, who suffered defeat in Chamundeshwari from G T Deve Gowda of the JD(S) by over 36,000 votes, accepted Kumaraswamy to be the next CM, if the two parties form government in alliance.

>BJP condemned the act of Congress and accused the party of trying to subvert the popular mandate. BJP CM candidate BS Yeddyurappa, in talk to media, said the Congress party was trying to come back to power through the back door by offering support to JDS to form the government.

>Congress rejected BJP’s charge that it was trying to come to power through the backdoor. Party communications in charge Randeep Surjewala also cited the cases of Goa, Manipur, Meghlaya, where the Congress could not form government despite emerging as the largest party.

> Congress and JDS leaders on Tuesday evening met Governor Vajubhai Vala and staked claim to form a JDS-led government in Karnataka.

> On the same day, Yeddyurappa also met Governor Vajubhai Vala and staked claim to form the government, countering a move of the Congress-JDS combine.

>Yeddyurappa further said that the governor had allowed the party to prove majority in the Assembly.

I got a call from the BJP leaders. They said come to us & we'll give a ministry to you. We'll make you a minister. But, I'm going to stay here. HD Kumaraswamy is our Chief Minister: Amaregouda Linganagouda Patil Bayyapur, Congress. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/BIJYZHV7P7

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2018

>In a sensational twist, a Congress leader claimed to be called by BJP leaders asking him to join them. Talking to news agency ANI, Amaregouda Linganagouda Patil Bayyapur said that the BJP even offered him a ministry.