Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Bengaluru's counting centres come alive with political fervour

The atmosphere at the four counting centres in Bengaluru — St Joseph’s Indian High School, Mount Carmel College, BMS College for Women, and SSMRV PU College — began on a sombre note, but soon gave way to excitement as the results of the winners started to emerge.

At the Mount Carmel College counting centre, although four out of the seven constituencies counted went to the BJP, the celebrations outside painted a different picture.

Congress supporters, particularly from Hebbal, enthusiastically shouted slogans and danced to the beats of drums as the early trends indicated their party’s victory.

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Despite the large margins of victory for BJP’s Dr C N Ashwath Narayan and K Gopalaih, very few BJP workers were present to greet them at the counting centre. Instead, they were met with slogans in praise of the Congress. When Byrathi Suresh’s victory was announced in the afternoon, supporters broke through barricades and carried him on their shoulders.

Sarvagnanagar Congress winner K J George had left the centre in the morning due to his significant leads, but his supporters remained, creating a sea of party supporters outside the barricades at the junction of Bugle Rock Road and Bull Temple Road, chanting slogans.

At BMS College for Women, supporters of BJP candidate Uday B Garudachar celebrated his lead in the morning with music and dance.

Similarly, supporters of BJP RR Nagar candidate Munirathna praised their “tiger” through songs.

Also Read | Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Results spark celebrations at Congress headquarters, mood sours at BJP camp

Supporters of Kusuma, Rizwan Arshad, N A Haris, and B Z Zameer Ahmed showed their allegiance by waving party flags and chanting their names in a sing-song manner. Haris went on a mini roadshow on Bull Temple Road with Khan’s convoy on the other side.

Outside St Joseph’s Indian High School, tension and excitement filled the air as supporters of different political parties shouted slogans and chants. The most vocal were the supporters of Krishna Byre Gowda, the Congress candidate from Byatarayanapura. However, as the results became clearer, the crowds gradually retreated towards the school gate. Soon, both sides of the road were packed with supporters from the two major parties. Finally, around 2 am, Gowda’s supporters got the chance to celebrate their leader as they carried him on their shoulders into the middle of the road, momentarily halting traffic.

In Jayanagar, the counting centers were barricaded over long distances. As news channels reported the Congress leading by large numbers, party workers gathered on 36th Cross Road, 28th Main, waving a massive Congress flag. The victory of Ramalinga Reddy brought more people shouting slogans. BJP party workers even brought a crane with a massive garland for Bommanahalli BJP candidate Satish Reddy.