Karnataka`s victory a moment of pride: Sheila Dikshit

With the Congress emergence as a single-largest party in Karnataka polls, Sheila Dikshit said winning with an absolute majority is a matter of pride for us.

New Delhi: With the Congress emergence as a single-largest party in Karnataka Assembly polls, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday said winning with an absolute majority is a matter of pride for us.

"Karnataka`s victory is a moment of pride," Dikshit told media here. As per the latest trends, the Congress was set to return to power in Karnataka, with its candidates winning 29 seats and leading in 90 seats. While the ruling BJP has been pushed to the third spot, leading only in 35 seats. The Janata Dal-Secular is leading in 42 seats. As per the latest trends, the Karnataka Janatha Paksha, which is led by former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, is leading in nine seats. Counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly Elections, which witnessed a 70.23 percent voter turnout on May 05, began this morning at 8 am amidst tight security. The results of the vote count will decide who will occupy each of the 223 seats up for grabs in the State Assembly. For the Congress, it is a day of high anxiety, when a possible triumph for the party in Karnataka could be offset by a possible embarrassment in the Supreme Court which will be hearing the Central Bureau of Investigation`s (CBI`s) fresh affidavit on the coal block allocation case. Congress leaders are hoping to get some respite from the apex court and a Karnataka win, which would help the party give a positive political spin to their strategy for the 2014 General Elections. From the BJP`s point of view, a loss would force it rejig political strategy and probably move away from its single point agenda of highlighting the graft of the Congress. In the 2008 elections, BJP secured 110 seats, three short of majority and formed the government with the help of five independents who were made ministers. Congress bagged 80 seats and JD-S 28. The overall voter turnout then was 64.91 percent. ANI