The Narendra Modi-powered BJP’s emphatic victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha election appears to be having no magic on Karnataka’s Urban Local Body (ULB) elections as the saffron party is trailing behind the Congress as the poll results started pouring in on Friday.
As many as 63 ULBs – eight city municipal councils, 33 town municipal councils and 22 town panchayats – comprising 1,361 wards went to polls on May 29.
Counting of votes is still underway, but the Congress has won over 509 seats, whereas the BJP is second having won over 366 and the JD(S) is a distant third with 174, according to the State Election Commission.
ULB elections are generally considered as an indicator of the government’s popularity.
Last year, when 105 ULBs went to polls, the Congress won 982, the BJP 929 and the JD(S) 375. Independent candidates won in 329 wards.
