Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Man engraves 'Siddaramaiah CM' on chest as Cong get set for comeback

As Congress is striding forward to a victory in Karnataka, supporters found creative ways to celebrate the grand old party's return to power in the state.

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As early trends showed a win for Congress, a supporter of the party went overboard in Mysuru and engraved 'Siddaramaiah CM' in Kannada on his chest.

With a much-needed victory tantalisingly close in the crucial southern state, early celebrations broke out at the opposition Congress headquarters in Bengaluru and Delhi. BJP leaders, hoping to break a 38-year jinx of Karnataka not voting an incumbent to power, looked at a possible loss but waited till counting ended to analyse why and how.

According to EC data as of 1:30 pm, Congress is leading in 129 seats, having won 4 seats already. While the ruling BJP won 2 seats, and has a lead in 63 seats.

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While many in the BJP said it was too early to call the election, Congress workers and leaders, desperately looking to reverse its electoral fortunes and position itself as the main opposition player in 2024, were jubilant.

“The Congress will win with over 120 seats,” Congress leader Siddaramaiah, the man who could be the next chief minister if his party comes to power, told reporters in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah is contesting from Varuna constituency against BJP's V Somanna, with the former currently leading by over 25,000 votes.

In the outgoing Assembly, the ruling BJP has 116 MLAs, followed by the Congress at 69, JD(S) 29, BSP one, independents two, speaker one and vacant six (following deaths and resignations to join other parties ahead of the polls).