Karnataka local polls: BJP wins 12 districts

Bangalore: BJP emerged as the single largest party in the crucial Karnataka panchayat elections on Tuesday.

Though the panchayat polls have yielded no clear winner but the results come as a reprieve for Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa as the BJP emerged as the single largest party.

In the local body elections held in 30 districts the ruling BJP managed to win in just 12 districts. The Congress and JDS have won 4 districts each. 10 districts have thrown up hung results, even though the Cong-JDS combine are leading there.

Over 65 percent of the 21 million voters, nearly half of them women, cast their ballots in the elections to the 30 zila and 176 taluka panchayats Dec 26, Dec 31 and Jan 1.

These are the first elections to the local governing councils after the BJP came to power in the state in May 2008.