Watch Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 Results LIVE streaming on Zee News

BENGALURU: Karnataka Assembly election results 2018 have thrown up a hung house in the southern state with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as the single largest party. The party won 104 seats while the Congress, which won in the 2013 Karnataka elections, was relegated to the second spot with its candidates winning in 78 constituencies. The Janata Dal Secular (JDS) of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy came third with 37 wins while its ally the Bahujan Samaj Party bagging one. Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party candidate and an independent won one seat each.

Watch the live streaming of Karnataka assembly election results 2018 on Zee News

Out of 225 Karnataka Assembly segments, 222 went to the polls on May 12. The election in Raja Rajeshwari Nagar seat was delayed to May 28 due to the recovery of a large number of voter ID cards. The election in Jayanagar segment was countermanded in the wake of the demise of BJP candidate BN Vijaya Kumar on May 4. The Karnataka election results 2018 are significant for the ruling Congress as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is hoping to make a comeback in this southern state. Several exit polls have earlier predicted a hung Assembly with no major political party seem to be gaining a clear majority in the state. In such a scenario, HD Deve Gowda's JD(S) is likely to emerge as a kingmaker since its support would be crucial in government formation in Karnataka.

At present, the majority mark is 112 as results will be declared for only 222 seats. While Karnataka Assembly has 225 seats, voting takes place for 224 constituencies as one is a nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community.

A total of 2,655 candidates are in the fray for the 224 seats in Karnataka Assembly. Among the candidates are four sitting and former chief ministers - the current CM Siddaramaiah, former BJP chief ministers BS Yeddyurappa and Jagdish Shettar, and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy. There are 219 women, too, among the aspirants. While the BJP is contesting in all 224 seats, the Congress put up candidates in 222 and the JDS in 201 seats.

According to the state Chief Electoral Officer Sanjeev Kumar 72.13 percent voters came out to exercise their franchise which is the highest in the Karnataka Assembly elections since the 1952 state polls.

Karnataka witnessed a high-decibel campaign with big names like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi leading the battle for the BJP and the Congress respectively. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is facing a tough battle to ensure Congress returns to power. Even history is against him as no party has been able to win two consecutive Karnataka Assembly elections since the Janata Dal's victory in 1983 and 1985. Siddaramaiah on Sunday sounded confident of Congress retaining power and added that this was his last election. He contested from two seats - Chamundeshwari and Badami.