Karnataka polls: "I take responsibility for defeat...," BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel as Congress leads in trends

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 13 : As Congress surged ahead on Saturday in the Karnataka assembly election results, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said that the onus of the party's defeat is on him and that the BJP would work meticulously as a good opposition party in the state.

The Congress is on its way to scoring an emphatic victory in the Karnataka polls. Congress is at 136 including 10 seats that the party has won so far and 126 seats where it is leading. BJP continues to lead in 60 seats.

BJP Karnataka president Kateel said, "I take responsibility for the defeat as the state president. I will work responsibly as a good opposition party in the state."

He expressed gratitude to the voters of the state and especially to workers who have worked round the clock for the party.

"Yeddyurappa-Basavaraja Bommai ji worked for the overall development. We will however analyze the reason for the setback," said Kateel.

Earlier, BJP leader BS Yediyurappa said victory and defeat are not new for the party and it will introspect on the setback.

"Victory and defeat aren't new to BJP. Party workers need not pck by these results. We will introspect about the party's setback. I respectfully accept this verdict," said BJP leader Yediyurappa on the party's defeat in Karnataka.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai conceded defeat and said that the BJP will come back victorious in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress surged ahead as it led in 124 seats at noon while the BJP was ahead in 69 seats and JD(S) on 24 seats.

Bommai said that once the results will be out a detailed analysis will be done to analyse the gaps that were left at various levels.

"We've not been able to make the mark. Once the results come we will do a detailed analysis. As a national party, we will not only analyse but also see what deficiencies and gaps were left at various levels. We take this result in our stride," said Bommai.

He further added that all the efforts put in by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP workers weren't able to make the mark.

"In spite of a lot of efforts put in by PM and BJP workers, we've not been able to make the mark. Once the full results come we'll do a detailed analysis. We take this result in our stride to come back in Lok Sabha elections," said Bommai.

Bommai had earlier said that he was confident of a BJP victory.

Meanwhile, Bommai's convoy got stuck in Haveri as Congress workers on the route cheered their party's win.

The counting of votes began at 8 am amid tight security across the state.

The exit polls predicted a hung assembly with some showing Congress returning to power with a majority. A few exit polls also showed BJP ahead.

If there is a hung assembly, Janata Dal (Secular) can play the role of a kingmaker.

The fiercely contested election that saw high-pitch campaigns from the political parties is crucial for both BJP and Congress.