The BJP, which witnessed defeat in the Karnataka Assembly polls, failed to win even a single seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Additionally, the party suffered losses in 24 out of 36 constituencies that were reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates.
Karnataka has 51 reserved constituencies, out of which 36 seats are reserved for SC candidates and 15 for candidates belonging to the ST community. On Saturday, the BJP conceded defeat in the state Assembly elections after its seat share came down to 66 from 104 in the 2018 polls.
The poor show of the saffron party in the reserved seats came despite the outgoing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s decision to increase reservation for the SC/ST community in the state. The Congress, which won 135 seats in the 224-member state assembly, registered a massive win in the seats reserved for the SC/ST candidates. Out of 36 SC seats, Congress candidates won 21, while the BJP candidates emerged victorious in 12 seats. The JDS, which showed poor performance in the polls, managed to win just three seats. The BJP finished as first runner-up on 13 SC-reserved seats. Congress candidates won Kudachi, Mudhol, Nagthan, Chittapur, Kanakagiri, Hubli-dharwad-East, Haveri, Mayakonda, Mudigere, Koratagere, Pavagada, Kolar gold field, Bangarapet, Pulakeshinagar, Anekal, Devanahalli, Nelamangala, Malavalli, Nanjangud, T Narasipur and Kollegal seats reserved for the SC category. The BJP registered victory in Raybag, Chincholi, Gulbarga Rural, Aurad, Lingsugur, Shirahatti, Hadagalli, Holalkere, CV Raman Nagar, Mahadevapura, Sakleshpur and Sullia seats for SC category. The JDS managed to win Hagaribommanahalli, Shimoga Rural, and Mulbagal seats.