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BJP wins 12 out of 15 seats, retains majority

New Delhi: In a boost to the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP in Karnataka, the party retained its majority in the Assembly by winning 12 out of the 15 seats that went to bypolls this month. The Congress managed to win only two seats (Hunasuru and Shivajinagar), while an Independent candidate, Sharath Bachegowda, who was earlier expelled from the BJP for anti-party activities, won from Hoskote.

As many as 11 BJP winners were those who defected from the Congress and JD(S).

The government in the southern state was formed after defections from the previous Congress-Janata Dal Secular coalition and BJP was in need of only seven seats for a majority but the saffron party won five more at the cost of the Congress. Soon after the grand old party posted a poor show, Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah and party's state chief Dinesh Gundu Rao quit their posts. Congress managed to win just two seats against 12 that it had held prior to the bypolls which was held on December 5.

Terming the result as a punishment to the parties for going against the mandate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Karnataka bypoll results were a message for "all states" that people will punish those who went against the popular mandate. However, on the poor show, senior Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar said: "We have to agree with the mandate of the voters of these 15 constituencies. People have accepted the defectors. We have accepted defeat. I don't think we have to be disheartened."

As per the Election Commission, the BJP won 12 seats after fetching 50.32 per cent vote share in its favour while the Congress managed to get only 31.50 per cent of vote share and JD(S) has secured 11.90 per cent.

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