B S Yeddyurappa's KJP wins only six seats

BANGALORE: When former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa broke away from the BJP and floated Karnataka Janatha Paksha, he had set out two goals- to decimate ruling BJP and be a kingmaker, hoping for a hung verdict.

With the people's mandate out now, he has only half-succeeded in his agenda -- that of causing the downfall of the BJP government. But failing to make much impact on his own, he has ended up with a paltry six seats, though he had fielded candidates in 216 constituencies.

The KJP factor, which spread across the state and had severe impact in parts of North Karnataka region, hurt BJP's chances. As per the latest poll party position, BJP has bagged only 37 seats, a far cry from the 110 seats it secured in the 2008 elections.

The Lingayat strongman emerged victorious in his home constituency of Shikaripura, defeating his Congress opponent H S Shanthaveerappa Gowda by a margin of 24,425 votes.

Yeddyurappa who ruled the state for more than three years was forced to quit chief ministership after the Lokayukta indicted him in its report on illegal mining.

He tried hard to regain chief ministership but was told by the party central leaders to come clean on the corruption charges. Ultimately, he left the BJP with which he had four decades old association complaining of being sidelined, and floated the KJP in December last year.